To Be Comforted

He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. 2 Corinthians 1:4

This is one of my favorite bible verses.

As I reflect back on a time in my life when I experienced deep hurt and pain (a miscarriage), I remember having not only my best friend (Dirk) beside me, but also having a group of very close friends there to comfort me.

I also remember a call (as if it was yesterday) from one of my friends. She'd called to ask if she could pray with me over the phone. For several weeks, I received many comforting phone calls, emails and cards.

This may not sound like much to most, but it brought me great comfort knowing that so many people were just a phone call away or the fact that they even cared.

Not all of us have this gift.

When I think of the "comforters" in my life, I also think of the qualities that each of them have; dependability, friendliness, patience, geniune, prayful, sympathetic, and just being a good listener.

I am so thankful that I can pick up the phone (since I don't know how to text) and call on a group of close friends to literally be there day or night to comfort me in a time when I may need them.

Everything I Needed

I really enjoyed reading this poem that a friend sent my way.
Thought I'd share it with you.
If only we would look at things this way more often, we'd be a lot happier.

I asked for strength
and God gave me difficulties to make me strong.

I asked for wisdom
and God gave me problems to solve.

I asked for prosperity
and God gave me brawn and brains to work.

I asked for courage
and God gave me dangers to overcome.

I asked for patience
and God placed me in situations where I was forced to wait.

I asked for love
and God gave me troubled people to help.

I asked for favors
and God gave me opportunities.

I received nothing I wanted
I received everything I needed.

My prayers have all been answered.

Author Unknown

Being Held Accountable

Here lately I have been hearing how important it is to have an accountability partner in our Christian life. Last week, one of our ministers preached on the benefits of having an accountability partner and one of the Christian radio stations that I listen to talked about the importance of having one, too. This has really gotten my attention to where I am constantly thinking about it.

I must admit, at the present time, I do not have an accountability partner (other than my husband and apparently I am not supposed to count him as my accountability partner for many different reasons). I do recognize the importance of having one, though. I've never really prayed to God about this either. I do think that it's time and so I have started praying specifically that God would put this person in my path and I would know without a doubt who she is.

As I read more materials to help me understand even more about obtaining an accountability partner, below is a list of qualities that an accountability partner should have;

Confidentiality, helping others overcome struggles, encouraging, lovingly confrontational, makes effort to help and pray, focused, looking out for the best for the other person, avoids lecturing, non-judgmental, grace-giver and tough love.

As many would agree, a good accountability partner is hard to find.

I must say that God must be moving me to a different (yet higher) level. I say this because I have been that person who would quickly say that I didn’t need an accountability partner. That is up until now that I understand the importance and also the benefits of having one.

Ecclesiastes 4: 9-10
“ Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:
If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up.”

From the Mouths of Babes

We might think that this video is funny, but it's amazing that this two (?) year old has obviously been in church often enough to have this down.

Many of us could learn from his parents about raising a child in the church.

I really enjoyed looking at this video several times. I hope that it gives you a laugh as well.

One thing though, since I have music set up on my blog, before you start the video clip, go to the bottom of my screen and press the stop button to stop the music from playing so you will be able to hear the video. The stop button looks like this (II), just click on it and the music will stop.

You've Heard it Before...Guard Your Heart

I've been listening to this series in which Pastor Duane Sheriff of Durant, Ok is talking about guarding your heart.

I would like to say with confidence that I often practice this, but there are times when I've let things creep into my heart that I was unaware of until it's too late.

Anyhow, as I was listening to this series, the words the minister used about guarding your heart really ministered to me. And though it makes perfect sense to me now, I don't think that I would have ever been able to break it down the way that he did.

He called it, The Process of Our Life and it went something like this;

What we hear affects our thoughts and our thoughts affect our feelings and our feelings affect our actions. How powerful, but yet also true, is this?

He went on to say that when our heart is overflowing with bad things that the bad will counteract the good and how you will never get rid of the negative things until you counter it with positive things. In fact, he suggests that for every negative thing that comes into your heart, counter it with at least five positive things. I haven’t had to use this suggestion yet, but I plan on it the next time I am faced with anything negative (whether it be a negative comment spoken into my life or a potential negative situation that arises in my life).

I think that the people we choose to hang out with also play a part on what is deposited into our heart. You've also heard the saying, "Misery loves company." For as long as I can remember (including grade school), I have chosen not to hang out with people who are negative ALL the time. We all have our bad days. But, if we choose to surround ourselves with negative people, the chances are great that we will become negative as well.

I am always inspired to surround myself with people who will deposit positive things into my heart and, more importantly, in my life.

Integrity Matters

Webster defines integrity as, "an unreleased or unbroken completeness or totality; moral soundness."

I would like to simply put it as being honest and trustworthy.

If we're going to be a person of integrity, it's essential to do what we say we're going to do, and believe in what we say we believe in.

Assume we meet someone who tells us they will do one thing, then they either never do it, or they do something else. We not only lose respect for that person, but more than likely, we will not trust that person again either. Guess what? This same rule of honesty applies to us.

Integrity means not only being honest with others, but also with yourself. If we can't be honest with ourselves, then it's nearly impossible to be honest with others.

The positive result of being a person with integrity is that over time, you will be rewarded with a great sense of self respect and trust not only from yourself, but also from others.

"Our character...is an omen of our destiny, and the more integrity we have and keep, the simpler and nobler that destiny is likely to be." George Santayana

God's Timing

You may have heard before that God's timing is different from your timing.

It took me many years to fully understand this. And although I understand it now, there are still times when I struggle in this area.

I read in an article a while back that waiting on God simply means allowing Him to work things out according to His divine schedule.

During the times that I am waiting on God, I am not only reminded, but also encouraged to trust that God is in control and the He knows what's best for me. I know that He has heard every prayer request that I have spoken and that He doesn't always give me the response I want. I am also reminded to thank Him for the blessings that He has already given to me and my family that we often take for granted.

As we wait on God, He continues to strenghten and bless us.

Isaiah 40:31
"But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not be faint."

Isaiah 30:18
"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him."