Weeping

I just got done reading through our prayer requests from Church and find myself overwhelmed with what people are walking through. I have no great answers as to why we go through painful moments in life...but I know that we don't have to go through it alone.
I'll never forget a wonderful lady who influenced my walk with Jesus in profound ways. Her name was Marion Sorely. She is what I consider a "saint"! To look at her was to see Jesus! She was diagnosed with cancer and the kind of cancer she had ate away her face. She would come to Church and little by little the disease destroyed her very skin and cells...leaving gaping holes. Marion NEVER stopped praising Jesus...NEVER. I cannot begin to image the physical pain that she experienced...but I am forever changed by witnessing her unwavering love and trust for and in her Savior!
Jesus knows pain, He knows sorrow...He wept when there was loss. He tells us that in this world WE WILL have trouble, but to be of GOOD CHEER for He has overcome the world (John 16:33). I love what Isaiah says in chapter 43:2-3...when we pass through the waters He will be with us, when we pass through the rivers they will not sweep over us, when we walk through the fire we will not be burned...For He is the Lord our God...He is with us...always!!!!
Well, okay...those are the thoughts rolling around in this tiny brain tonight~I pray that you know the Love and Strength and Grace and Peace and Faithfulness of Jesus...if you don't...well the Word of God tells us that to any of us who will put our trust in Jesus...believe who He says He is...turn from our wicked ways and surrender our hearts to follow Him...we can KNOW these things about our Savior with CONFIDENCE!!! So what's holding you back?

Okay, so we were just praying with our Abbie Joy, she is 4 and FULL of life! We sometimes do an "echo prayer" this is where I pray and she echo's what I say...well she was being just a "wee" bit stubborn and so I said "Lord, please break my stubborn will" (you won't find this in parenting 101) she paused and said "what does that mean" to which I replied "it means you want to be obedient" she said confidently "No I don't!" than smiled...

Whoa Nelly...I laughed and thought how is that not like me...Paul reminds us that we struggle with what is right and wrong, the things we KNOW we should do we don't and the things we know we SHOULDN'T do we do...

This year more than ever, I long to grow in holiness, to be more like Jesus, to allow my children to see choices made that are pleasing to God, not choices that are full of questions as to why....simple things like what movies I see, what television we watch...alcohol is not in our home...but helping my kids see the reason why it is not...
I really want to hear my Savior say to me WELL DONE MY GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT...I fear I have many bruises to show for all of the times I fall flat on my face in this day to day life...I want my children to know that when the make the decision to follow Jesus, it's serious! Matthew 7:13-14 says: (and this is Jesus talking)..."Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
I don't know about you, but as we live out this walk with Jesus, I pray that people see a very "human" being full of flaws but a "human" who is saved by grace and not content to live a tolerant life or walk...I don't want to be stagnant...I really do want people to see something different..(okay, we ALL know I'm different :0)...but I don't want to go with the flow just to go...

Wow, who knew such a simple bed time prayer would stir up so many thoughts ;D

Giving Thanks

When was I thankful today? Was it when my 7 year old started crying every 5 minutes because nothing was going his way? Was it when I took out my Turkey and couldn't find the "bag of contents" and discovered it was still partially frozen? It might have been when my 4.75 year old joined her 7 year old brother in the tears, just so he wouldn't feel alone. Was it when my 9 year old said, "mom, I've been good today right?" Then of course there was the moment my 10 year old decided that he had parental qualities and decided what was best for all of us. I was sure I had "thankfulness" written all over my face when I heard my husband ask..."hey, hon? When will the Turkey be done?"...Oh, yes for all these moments and more I was thankful.

It was a crazy day for the GORDY GANG...but when everything is stripped away and the noise of the day faded...I realized that we are all sinners that have the choice to be saved by grace. I love the verse found in Thessalonians...it says:
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

I don't know where the day finds you...I pray that at some point you are able to pause and Give Thanks to Jesus Christ for who He is...for His Grace and Redemption, because really, when we realize who we are without a Savior...we cannot help but GIVE THANKS every moment of every day.

ONE NATION UNDER GOD!

Wow! What an amazing time in our Country! As a Born Again Believer, I know with all confidence that God is in control of all my tomorrows...He has not changed, nor will He ever change, He does not sleep nor does He slumber. I have friends who call themselves "Liberal Christians" and friends who are "die hard conservatives" I myself was praying for a candidate who would protect life from conception...I just can't wrap my head around women who would chose to kill their children? It bewilders my mind.

I know this, God has established the Governing Authorities, He has called us to submit...Romans 13! I will be praying that our new President Elect is obedient to God's leading...that He acknowledges His Creator and humbles himself to walk in His ways, and that as God's people we will continue to live out loud for THE WAY, THE TRUTH, THE LIFE and shine brightly for all to see, that they would come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior...Redeemer and Restorer.

It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown

Today was one of those Picture Perfect Beautiful Days. Our family went to the pumpkin patch after school...now this is a Gordy tradition going on 10 years. We drove up to the patch, got out of the van, picked out our wagon and walked into the rows and rows of pumpkins. What struck me as we walked was how beautiful they all looked...the sun was shining on their glorious sunrise orange skin...miles and miles of beauty. However as soon as one got close to the pumpkins, another story unfolded. Some were rotting in spots, others were overcome with insects (yuk)...others were falling apart. There were only a handful of real beauties to speak of.
As we continued walking, I pondered the wonder of it all, what seems so beautiful was really a deception to the eye...how much of the world works the same way? The world shows us "beautiful things" tempting us to want and feel as if we need...but really it's a trick of the eye...
The Word of God tells us that we may look on the outside of things, people...but God looks at the heart!
I want to strive to live my life as an example of Jesus...whoa is it hard sometimes...the Bible tells us that the road is narrow, wide is the road that leads to destruction. It seems that the more we walk in the Word, the more we long to be like our Savior...that the things we once thought beautiful will fade and that only the foundation of who Jesus is will remain beautiful beyond description.

More than a Feeling

Are you the kind of person who wants to be liked by everyone, only to feel frustrated when a handful of people just don't seem to click with you? I must confess that I struggle with this from time to time. I want to be liked, no one really wants to be disliked...do they? I have people in my life, for whatever reason that just don't like me...I find myself questioning what I ever did to deserve their "dislike" towards me...then someone grand told me to GET OVER IT and say WHO CARES...very freeing words aren't they? See, here's the scoop...there will always be people who don't like you...for whatever reason...LET IT GO...the good news is this: Jesus told us to come to Him "just as we are"...He is the one worth living for not those around us...If we keep our eyes fixed on Him (Heb 12:2) then we can see that it does not matter if we are liked or disliked...as long as we can keep living a life that exemplifies our Savior~it's all good~ So...love others as you love yourself and live out the Good News of Jesus!!!

World Wide

Hello from rainy Wyoming! I have to say; that today was one of those GREAT days(yes, even though the Vikings lost). We had the privilege of hearing from Sergei at our church. He is from Ukraine. He told us about how he lived his life in rebellion choosing the things of the world, he ended up in prison and it was there that he surrendered his heart to Jesus...I was reminded again about how truly AMAZING our God is and that the POWER of HIS REDEMPTION is AWESOME!!! We are called to live our lives out loud for Jesus, to be light in this crazy dark world...LET'S GO SHINE!!!

Til next time...