OnTarget

As a child I went to summer camp and I didn't much like it. I was and still am a person that likes to set my own agenda. I also am not a very athletic person so I didn't enjoy or excel in many of the activities.

There was one activity  however that I did like; archery.  I don't think that I ever did get a bulls-eye but I hit the target! I even came pretty close to the center of the target on occasion.

In archery I knew what my goal was- to hit the target and better yet to hit the center. My walk of faith with Jesus is much the same. My goal is God. My goal is to be as close to Jesus as I can be, in the center of the target  ( and i don't mean the store ). I  have to make decisions everyday about my life under the scope of "is this bringing me closer to my target?".  And honestly, I very often miss the mark.

"So now Israel, what do you think God expects from you? Just this:Live in his presence in holy reverence, follow the road  he sets out for you, love him, serve God, your God with everything you have in you today-live a good life." Deuteronomy 10:12-13 the Message

God desires us to live in His presence!  He isn't telling us to just come and be with Him once a day or just on Sunday. God wants us to LIVE in His Presence.

God does not tell us to go away to a secluded place to be with Him, He tells us to LIVE in HIS Presence and this is no easy task. Our enemy knows that when we are in the center; close to God, that we have more wisdom, knowledge, strength and power and he will do anything to keep us from reaching our target. The enemies distractions are endless.

God tells us in our Scripture today that we should follow the road He has set out for us. Did you note my emphasis on the word"He"? God tells us to follow the road He has set for us, not our own path. When we spend time with God in prayer, worship, waiting and studying His Word He will reveal His path for us.

God tells us to love Him and serve Him with everything that is in us for this is the way to the center of the target. Every word that we speak and every action we make ought to show HIM how much we love HIM.

What is your goal? Is your eye on the right target-God? 

Are you practicing and taking aim with your hearts desire of hitting the bulls-eye- living in the presence of God?

Take a good honest look today at your life, your decisions, your hearts. Are they heading toward the center of the target -God?

If you desire to LIVE in the presence of God are there an changes you need to make to hit the target?  Are your eyes truly fixed on the target? Are you equipped with the right tools  ( the Word of God) to accurately hi the bulls-eye? Are you spending "some" time with Jesus or are you practicing "Living" in HIS Presence?

Are you on target?

Humbly,

ruthann

Wrong Way!

Today I got on the highway going the wrong direction. I was on auto-pilot. I usually take 495 SOUTH to meet with people in Taunton, but today, I was supposed to take 495 NORTH to meet someone in Franklin. So, I hopped on 495 SOUTH and one exit down I said to myself, “JILLIAN! You got on the wrong way! ...oh, no you didn’t...good, never mind”...and continued to drive in the wrong direction. A few exits down it really hit me that I’m going the wrong way. I got off, turned around, and got on 495 NORTH. Then my gas light came on. Needless to say, I’m going to be late. I had planned on meeting this person at 8:30; I got there at about 8:50. Not too bad, considering.

So often we get on auto-pilot with life, and miss the direction God actually wants us to go. We get so busy and our priorities get so out of whack that we end up convincing ourselves “oh, I’m going the right direction...”

When we don’t take time each day to foster our relationship with God, we can miss big things He has for us. I struggle with this, and know I’m not alone. I’m a busy girl, and I want certain things for my life. But more importantly, I want what God wants for my life. I’m a better person with Him and my life is better with Him. But I have to put the time and effort in.

Do you have an effortlessly intimate relationship with your friends/children/spouse/parents? Most likely not. We have to put the work in. This is where our priorities make us fall apart. We end up prioritizing other things before our relationship with God and before long we’re going the wrong direction.

Then, by the time we finally realize it, we’re “out of gas” and exhausted because we’ve been living by our own strength instead of fostering that relationship with God and living on His strength. And at that point, we’re late. Our stubbornness or pride or disobedience or wrong motives or sin or lack of commitment may have made us miss something big that God had for us.

I want to be going the right direction. I don’t want to waste my life chasing the fleeting things of this world when God has so much more for me. I want His path. All the time. Easier said than done. And if anyone has figured out how to never get turned around, let me know. Until then, I’ll be praying these verses over my life and my family:

Psalm 16:11-“You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence”

Psalm 23:3-“...He guides me in paths of righteousness, for His name’s sake...”

Psalm 25:4-“Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths, guide me in Your truth and teach me...”

Psalm 119:32-“I run to the path of your commandments, for you have set my heart free.”

Proverbs 3:6-“In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your path straight.”

Proverbs 4:11-15“I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble. Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life. DO not step foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.”

Have a great weekend,

Jill

“Assignment”

Do you ever think back on your school days and remember certain teachers more than others? Chances are some are remembered for how they inspired or helped you. Others may be sorely remembered for being strict or intimidating or just too serious. Some may be known and remembered for being both tough and motivating. Those are the ones that you might have disliked at first but grew to appreciate despite their demanding assignments. As you walk the halls of your schooldays memories you probably can even picture where their room was located.

Remember times just before the bell rang at the end of some classes when you would already have all your books and gear ready to snatch and run with, because you just couldn’t wait to get out the door. But then the teacher would begin outlining your “Assignment” for the next time and you’d have to fumble for pen and notebook and scramble to jot down the information. You probably had already missed some of it and of course some of the teacher’s spoken details might get swallowed up in the final blaring bell or buzzer. So you might have never actually written much of anything down and even if you did, you weren’t sure if you got it all down.

At that point you had some choices. You could ask the teacher for clarification and get the accurate instructions. You could ask a classmate and get their version, be it right or wrong. Or you could take your chances and presume you had enough to go with. By now you could be late to your next class and your head is filled with fresh distractions. So regardless of the method you chose to be familiar with the “Assignment”, thoughts of it were soon abandoned for other things.

Later when it was time to get to work on the “Assignment” your earlier choice takes on a greater significance or consequence. You could have clarity from attentively hearing or consulting your teacher and that allows you to move forward with confidence. You might have some help from a peer whose influence helps you confront the task, but with some uncertainty and just a hope for the best. Or it could be that the meager points you remember on your own might not only diminish your preparedness but might also make for a halfhearted approach. Worse scenario is that disruptions within the day even made you forget the “Assignment” totally.

We probably all recognize that the best of all ways to get precise instructions how to do something is to go to the source, the creator of the task.

In the same way that we probably resisted that approach with teachers, how often do we overlook this in the “Assignments” of our everyday lives, given by our Creator?

How often do we fail to hear the voice of the Master, and settle for the voice of others, who in fact may not only have a different perception of the “Assignment” but may actually have a totally different assignment all together?

How often are we in such a hurry that we miss out on the most important preparation details for what lies ahead of us and for us?

I know I am guilty of getting easily distracted and forgetting things. And sadly, this happens often when I am sitting with my Master Teacher. I often rush out the door to my next ‘whatever’ before making sure I have given Him time to prepare me for my next “Assignment”.

Sometimes I hear, read or write only part of the plan and then wonder why I am floundering to know what to do.

On occasion I listen to ones who are not the best source tell me what to do and how to do it, somehow thinking that their direction is better than God’s personal guidance to me.

God generally doesn’t demand that we complete an urgent mission daily. But I do think He has daily assignments for us that He would like to communicate to us. He desires that we be patient and attentive to listen and willing and ready to complete.

I am grateful that on the days that I don’t stay long enough in His quiet presence to gather all the details, that He can still use me, guide me, equip me, and find me faithful, simply because He walks right beside me through the halls of the school of life. Best scenario though is that I ask and listen for His “Assignment” directions first.

In Leviticus 26: 3 God states, “If you follow My decrees and are careful to obey my commands…”

Then God says in Leviticus 26:12, ^“I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people.” and again in II Corinthians 6:16 “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

Gratefully HIS,

Jan

Holding Up

The other day, Kerrie was standing on a chair, checking to see what kind of light bulbs I needed to buy.  I don't remember why, but it ended up taking longer than we thought, and she started complaining about her arms being tired.  Helpful sister that I am, I put my hands on her elbows, and held up her arms for her.  It was meant to be a ridiculous gesture, but like most ridiculous things, it got me thinking.

We all remember the story from Exodus (chapter 17) when the Israelites were warring with the Amalekites, and Moses sent Joshua out to fight them. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, and when he lowered his hands, they weren't. Since wars are long, and Moses is human, his arms got tired. Luckily, he had a brother and a friend, and they got him a rock to sit on, and held up his arms for him. In the end, Joshua and the Israelites defeated the Amalekites, and all was well in the wilderness again.

Kerrie's arms getting tired was not war-winning, or even life changing, but it started me thinking about the different ways we 'hold up each other arms' in this day and age.

For me, it's Jill and Kerrie offering endless support with Heather, and any other random children who happen to be here.
It's texts asking how my day was.  Last week it was one telling me that I'm the perfect me.
It's Jane, threatening bodily harm to anyone who hurts me.
It's Dad, telling us we're his favorite, and knowing that he's so good at loving us that we all believe it.
It's the help that shows up at the soup kitchen each month, and those who only come when they can.
It's people praying for me, and telling me so.  
It's the babysitter who swears she loves my kids, even though I'm sure they drive her crazy.

Everyday occurrences that we often don't think twice about, are what keep us pulled together, keep us sane.

These examples are just where I am in life right now.. There are different ones from different points in my life.

Financial support when I've needed it.
More moral support that any normal person should need.
Being welcomed into someone else's family when you're convinced your own doesn't understand.
Listening ears and shoulders to cry on and hugs.


I don't know what it looks like for you, but I hope you have people who 'hold up your arms' for you too.

More than that, I hope that we take time out of busy lives to hold up someone else's. I'm guessing that Aaron and Hur were just as blessed as Moses by God's faithfulness in delivering the Israelites, even though, technically, it was Moses' arms that were the "official" tools of that deliverance.

We should seek to be a blessing to others.  Jill's post on Friday talked about the type of friends we need, and it stands to reason that that's the type of friend we should be as well.


I know that I'll be seeking more ways to be that friend, knowing how grateful I am to have those friends.


Brooke

Are You A "Picker" ?

I am a "picker". Once a week, usually Friday mornings, I make the rounds to some of my local country salvage/antique shops.I go there often so I can keep my eye on what's there and not miss anything There are so many unique and interesting things of old to look at, I easily get lost in the past.

 I browse and dig and "pick" through the stuff  looking for little treasures.  I never know what I am going to find, some days I leave with empty hands but a head full of new ideas for some of my old stuff.

Other times I have my arms full of little treasures, cups and saucers, picture frames, old wooden kitchen tools or things to make jewelry with for my small business. I like old stuff and finding ways to re-purpose them into a brand new life.

"Picking" is fun and I have made an unofficial commitment to it in that I partake regularly in this relaxing hobby.

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also". Matthew 6:21 NIV

Although I find it fun to "pick"  through some old junk I find my true satisfaction in searching for real treasure in God's Word. It is here in the pages of Scripture that I pick up the little nuggets of Truth that change my life.

Some days I  pick up a small treasure in a devotion and ponder it through the day and then study it more later that night. Other days I dig and dig and come up with a heart and mind full of treasure.  I don't just swing through God's Word once a week but I go there everyday.

 I am a picker of God's Truth and I search there multiple times throughout my day so I don't miss a thing He has waiting for me.

"I want you woven into a tapestry of love, in touch with everything there is to know about God. Then you will have minds confident and at rest, focused on Christ, God's great mystery. All the richest treasures of wisdom and knowledge are embedded in that mystery and nowhere else." 

Colossians 2:2-3 The Message

Go ahead and become a picker of God's Truth. God's Word is a treasure trove  just waiting for you (there is no junk in God's Word). God wants to meet with you and take your junk and re-purpose it for HIS glory.


Your picker sister in Christ,
ruthann

The Company We Keep

Proverbs 12:26 A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

Proverbs 22:24-25 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn his ways and get yourself ensnared.

Proverbs 13:20 He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.

Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
________________________________________________________________________________

What type of company do you keep? The verses above make it clear that the company we keep affects us. When we have friends who believe the things we do and are convicted of the things we are, we’re less likely to stray from the straight and narrow road we all aspire to walk on. When we have friends who don’t, we’re more likely to be lead astray.

It’s hard. It’s hard to choose to distance ourselves from people we love and who we’ve been friends with for long periods of time. This doesn’t necessarily that we need to cut ties with them forever-otherwise we can’t build relationships in order to minster to people. I’m talking about the people we spend the most of our social time with.

Do the people you “hang out” with encourage you in your walk with Christ? Do they pray for you and encourage you to be praying? Do they hold you accountable for resisting sin? Do they pursue God’s heart and support you in doing the same? OR, do the people you hand out with encourage deviation from the straight and narrow? Do they encouraging worldly living and pursuing what the world has to offer? When you get home do you feel good about the time you spent with your friends and thing things you guys did for fun, or guilty? Do your friends make you a better person, or make you feel shameful?

Don’t let the company you keep become a stumbling block to your walk with Christ. Be cautious about who you spend your time with. Along the same line-be a Godly friend to other women. Encourage them, pray for/with them, help to hold them accountable. Be that person to someone and find people like that for you. It can be challenging. I struggle with this, it can be hard to make a connection with someone that you don’t have a history with-but all lasting friendships start somewhere.

Think about the person you are when you hang out with your “friends.” Is that the person you want to be, or do you need some changes?

Be blessed this weekend,

Jill

HIS Princess Bride

The joy and beauty of weddings has been a recurring theme for me in the past few days. I know a couple of my sister bloggers just came back from celebrating at the wedding of a darling we all know. I’ve been reminiscing my own because my anniversary is coming up. I purposely listened yesterday to the song “Forever Forever” that I had chosen for my wedding procession and it brought me right back to the awesome wonder of it all. Then just last night while wiping down tables after serving at a soup kitchen, I heard one of the little guests, a girl of about 9 years old, tapping out a tune on the piano that strongly resembled the tune of the traditional wedding march. This morning on my walk I passed a display of bridal wreath pouring lavishly over a fence. If I did some research it would probably show that the majority of weddings take place in May and June.

All this led me to ponder being a bride. Probably every little girl dreams at one time or another (or a zillion) of being one. It’s kind of right up there with being a princess. And they really are one and the same. Because what young (or old) sweetie doesn’t long to be loved, chosen and cherished forever by a prince?

Well, beauties, married or not, you get your wish! Because the Prince of Peace, the Son of the Highest King, has chosen you for His very own. He has bought your perfect gown, fitted it especially to you, spread out a carpet and sung a song of love over you that can lead you right into His arms.

For those of you still waiting for your earthly prince, rest easy in the arms of Prince Jesus. He has all your yearnings on His mind and is able to fill them all.

For those who are presently sharing life with your earthly prince and with the Lord of All, devote yourself to both of them. I hope that you are able to ask each one of them to assist you in your devotion towards the other.

For those who may have lost your earthly prince, I pray that there are reminiscent moments for you that play a comforting melody in your heart. I know the Son of the Father of eternity lovingly chooses to be your kinsman redeemer, just as Boaz was to Ruth in the Old Testament.

For those who may be needing a reconciliation with any or all of the princes in your life, remember that you were born to be a princess. And in that position of royalty, you are destined to pursue and possess grace and harmony in your life.

If you’re feeling today like the bridal gown doesn’t quite fit, or the crowning veil is a bit askew, or maybe the fancy jeweled slippers are causing you some discomfort, there is a sacred wedding planner whose very purpose is to refine and steady you, comfort and console you, teach and remind you, prepare and uphold you. The King and Prince have sent the Best Man, Holy Spirit, to perfect your readiness to be wholly loved and loving. And you, dear princess and bride, are Beauty-Full in His sight!

Gratefully HIS,

Jan