Sunday, July 31, 2011

Day 20 "Restoring Broken Fellowship"

This is the chapter or the part of our lives where the rubber meets the road.  Can we learn to give grace and forgive those that have hurt us?  Are we strong enough to rebuild what is broken?  In this day in age where new people are just a click away do we value friendship as much as we used to?  I feel like they are more important than ever.  The closer this world seems to get the more distance is put between us.  When we build a relationship with someone we should cherish it and make it a priority.  we will disagree at times and we may even agree but not like what we agree about.  This will cause tension in the relationship. we need to be able to realize those tensions and break them down.  If we learn to love each other we can control the tension.  The question to consider asked Who do I need to restore a broken relationship with today?  I don't know if we have a broken relationship or just no relationship but I would say my father.  I have felt distant from my father for along time.  I don't know why I feel this way.  I can remember times in my childhood the my dad was my biggest hero.  Standing tall in his military uniform, shiny ribbons and medals.  Strips of pride running down his sleeve.  Standing strong and firm in protection of this great nation.  He was a lot for a boy to look up to.  Then some time in high school we feel apart.  We just didn't understand each other.  I didn't have time for him and he didn't seem to have time for me.  As I look back I am sure I was crushing his heart.  It is amazing the feelings you find when you have a child of your own.  When I finally moved out and let my parents home we really lost touch.  Now that my son is here we see each other more than in the past 20 years or so.  I think this book is going to help me rebuild what I have lost with my dad.  If you have someone you have a broken relationship with, maybe you should just call them.  More to come on this subject I am sure.

Day 20 "Restoring Broken Fellowship"

Point to ponder: Relationships are always worth restoring.

Verse to remember: "Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody."

Question to consider: Who do I need to restore a broken relationship with today?

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Day 19 "Cultivating Community"

Man these two chapters have been speaking volumes to me these last two days.  One of the areas I struggle with in life is relationships.  I know my past have a lot to do with it, but that's the crutch or the excuse.  I can not let that rule the rest of my life.  These two chapters have basically spelled out for me what my responsibility is to foster relationships.  The main theme is to be honest and upfront with people.  To be there and be committed,  treat older people like you treat your parents and young people like brothers and sisters.  We are all part of Gods family.  This chapter spells it out like this. If you can do the following with your small group you will build lasting relationships.
Be Authentic and share true feelings
Encourage each other
Support each other
Admit our weaknesses
Respect our differences
Do not gossip
and Make the group a priority.

Day 19 "Cultivating Community"

Point to ponder: Community requires commitment.

Verse to remember: "We understand what love is when we realize that Christ gave his life for us.  That means we must give our lives for other believers." 1 John 3:16

Question to consider: How can I help cultivate today the characteristics of real community in my small group and my church?

Friday, July 29, 2011

Day 18 "Experiencing Life Together"

Sharing life together is an essential part of our lives.  Chapter 18 is about fellowship through a small group.  I can speak from experience on this subject.  I joined the men's fuel group at Hope to expand my knowledge of the Bible. I had never attended a Bible study before and had no idea what to think.  The study was on the book of Ephesians and was all about being a man.  Being a man in you life, to your family, in you church, and a father to your children.  The group started every week with a 30-45 large group meeting covering several verses of the chapter.  Then we would break into small groups to discuss in more detail.  It was comforting to see men open up about there lives and let loose the weights they had bottled up inside.  At the end of the study a small group of us continued meeting to go through the book Discipleship Essentials.  This is about being a better disciple or learning to be a disciple.  Or at least that is the intent.  This group as helped me form a strong bond with 6 men.  This is now the thing I look forward to the most all week.  I am now held to a level of accountability with out judgement when I fall short.  This has given me the strength to realize where I fall short and think about how I can do better.  The question to consider this week is" What one step can i take today to connect with another believer at a more genuine , heart to heart level."  I think if we just take the time to ask someone how they are doing and actually listen to them, we would open a whole new world we have never seen.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Day 18 "Experiencing Life Together"

Point to ponder: I need others in my life.

Verse to remember: "Share each other's troubles and problems, and in this way obey the laws of Christ."

Questions to consider: What one step can I take today to connect with another believer at a more genuine, heart-to-heart level?

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Day 17 "A Place to Belong"

A place to belong.  Where do I belong, where do I fit in?  This is something I have asked all my life.  I have never felt like I fit in with any one group.  Maybe it is because we moved so much and the groups changed so much.  I have always dealt with a low self esteem from my struggle with being over weight.  I always felt I cherished my friend more than they cherished me.  I felt like I was easily replaced.  This i am sure leads to my struggle to find and keep close friends for long periods of time.  Since I have joined Hope and gave my life to Christ I have felt like it is easier to build relationships with people.  I enjoy meeting people at our church and growing our friendships.  I have found a huge connection with my men's ID group.  This chapter was about being involved in a church.  And not just attending a church but becoming part of the church.  You always get out of something what you put into it.  It is most important to find a church family and wrap yourself up in it.  Get involved, make it your family.  I have done this with my church and I would not give it back for anything.

Day 17 "A Place to Belong"

Point to Ponder: I am called to belong, not just believe.

Verse to remember: "In Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." Romans 12:5

Question to Consider: Does my level of involvement in my local church demonstrate that I love and am committed to Gods family?

Day 16 "What matters most."

What matters most in life is Love.  We are here to learn to love one another.  Gods wants us to love one another as Christ loved the church.  We must realize that everything we do in life is useless with out love.  As we go through life we build relationships out of love.  But too often our focus in life to to get more, or have more, or do more.  But when it come right down to it, if we don't have any one we love to share it with what does it matter?  If we learn to love, that will last forever, no one can take it away.  According to the Bible "The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."  If we learn to love ourselves, our friends, our family, and God, God will be pleased.  So how do we learn to love?  Through time.  We make time for the things in our lives that are important.  To often we put work, or school, or other things on a higher importance than our relationship with God, our spouses, and our children.  We need to stop and share our love with them by spending time with them.  The time to love is now.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Day 16 "What matters most."

Point to ponder: Life is all about love.

Verse to remember: "The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself.""  Galatians 5:14

Question to consider: Honestly, are relationships my first priority? How can I ensure that they are?

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Day 15 "Formed for God's Family"

God created us all to be included into his family.  How do we do this? Well the first step is to believe in Jesus Christ.  The next is to accept him as your Lord and savior.  Once you have proclaimed Jesus as your savior you are reborn in to Gods family and receive all of the riches of his grace, Kindness, patients, glory, wisdom, power, and mercy.  These riches are protected in Heaven for us always.  We can never lose these gifts as long as we believe.  Baptism is an outward showing that you are part of Gods family.  This should not be delayed, if you have accepted Christ you should get Baptized.  When we are baptized we all receive the spirit.  We are all part of Gods family and are never alone.  When you feel unimportant, unloved, or insecure remember to whom you belong.

Day 15 "Formed for God's Family"

Point to Ponder: I was formed for God's family.

Verse to remember:  "His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ."

Question to consider: How can I start treating other believers like members of my own family?

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Day 14 "When God seems distant"

How will you face God when the chips are down?  These are the times that test our faith.  This is the time we let the devil in to our lives.  Why do we do this?  Is our faith with God so shallow, when things turn bad we think he left us?  Or is this the natural reaction now?  Has our life out side of Christ jaded us so bad when something goes wrong we feel the whole world hates us?  I pray this is not true.  God told us himself he will never abandon or forsake us.  This is a test of faith.  We must praise and worship God in these times just as we do in the good times.  There is always something to praise God for.  He is good and loving, he is all powerful, he notices every detail of my life, he is in control, he has a plan for me,  he will save me.  We must trust God to keep his promises.  We must remember what Christ has done for us.  He risked his life for years to spread the words of God.  He was beat nearly to death, bloody and weak they crowned him with a crown of thorns, he carried his cross to the top of the mountain.  Was nailed to it then raised to die.  All for the forgiveness of our sins.

Day 14 "When God seems distant"

Point to ponder: God is  real, no matter how I feel.

Verse to remember: "For God has said, I will never leave you, I will never abandon you."

Question to consider: How can I stay focused on God's presence, especially when he feels distant?

Friday, July 22, 2011

Day 13 "Worship that Pleases"

I don't know if it shows on this blog but I have been so moved by this book.  Not only am I learning what it means to have a relationship with God but how to have a relationship with God.  It is so much more than prayers and better living.  It is involving God in every part of your life.  God wants you to be all in.  He wants you to want him to be all in with you.  He requires our worship to be authentic and pure.  Worship him from our soul and not our mouths.  We need to be thoughtful and aware of our prayers.  We should not say cliches or praises just because we see someone else doing it. Our prayers and worship should be organized and fitting.  They should be practical.  As it is said in the book "we should not be christian soldiers on Sunday and go AWOL on Monday."  We need to learn our method of worship and fill our lives with that.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Day 13 "Worship that Pleases"

Point to ponder: God wants all of me.

Verse to remember: "Love the lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." Mark 12:30

Question of the Day: Which is more pleasing to God right now-my public worship or my private worship?  What will I do about this?

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Day 12 "Developing Your Friendship with God"

A continuation of chapter 11, chapter 12 talks more about what is needed to build a friendship with God.  There are four areas I have to commit to to build this friendship.   The first is to be honest with God.  This seams to be easy, you would think.  but when you really think about we are often not honest with ourselves, our families, our friends, our co-workers.  So how can we expect to be honest with God?  Can we be honest with God? For my entire life I have been taught to fear God as he will be my final judge.  Do I have what it takes to be honest with God?  The second pillar in this chapter is to Obey God. This seams a little easier.  I need to learn to let go more and just follow the path that is being laid out.  If I use the guides from chapter 11 to pray all day and talk to God about all parts of my day I feel he will show me the path he has intended.  I must value what God values.  I must let go of material things and focus my life on love, compassion, courage.  I must teach myself what I hold in high regard is not what God holds in high regard.  The last is I must desire a friendship with God over all other things. Not to much to say about that.  It's an action not a question.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Day 12 "Developing Your Friendship with God"

Point to Ponder:  I'm as close to God as I choose to be.

Verse to remember: "Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you." James 4:8

Question to consider: What practical choices will I make today in order to grow closer to God?

Day 11 "Becoming Best Friends with God"

First of all sorry for the delay.  Crazy weekend, and I got home late last night from ID.


Day 11 is all about building that relationship with God.  The are six secrets to having a friendship with God.  They covered two in this chapter and 4 more in the next.  The start to your friendship is through constant conversation with God.  Making a habit of including him in everything you do.  Praying all day instead of everyday.  We should look to him for guidance with everything.  We need to talk to him about or decisions, our work, or problems, our good times, our relationships with other people.  We need to set reminders in our daily life to remind us to pray until it become a habit.  The second secret is to have constant meditation.  We have all been guilty of dwelling on something that is usually bad.  If we would just focus this same energy on God and our relationship with God we would soon realize there is no need to worry that God is in control.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Day 11 "Becoming Best Friends with God"

Point to ponder:  God wants to be my best friend.

Verse to remember: "Friendship with God id reserved for those who reverence him." Psalm 25:14

Question of the day: What can I do to remind myself to think about God and talk to him more often throughout the day?"

Day 10 "The Heart of Worship"

Wow.  What a chapter.  Surrender you whole life to God.  Do we surrender our lives to God?  In this day in age of cell phones, 2000 channels of TV, world news at the blink of an eye the moment it happens.  Do we have the ability to look to the heavens and say "God it is in your hands now"? How freeing that must feel.  in this chapter it talks about why we don't surrender to Christ. The first reason is "Do we trust God?"  This is a huge question.  I think most of us think we trust God, but don't put our trust in him.  why is this?  Is there anyone in you life that has done for you what God has?  Has anyone given up a child for you?  Has anyone offered to pick you up and embarrassed you in a hug no matter how many times you hurt them?  God gives us this every day of our life.  He doesn't care what you did last, as long as what you do next is to glorify him.  The second statement is that we don't like to "Admit our limitations"  In the book it says we "try to be like God".  Is that even possible?  Who thinks they have that ability?  We need to accept that God made us so we are here for him.  He gave us unique characteristics for our lives and to fulfill our purpose.  We need to surrender to God to fully live for our purpose. So what does it mean to surrender? It means sacrificing, suffering, in order to change what needs to be changed. Living for Gods glory.  When God ask you to fulfill his glory you say "yes Lord".  The bible even states "Stop quarreling with God! If you agree with him, you will have peace at last, and things will go well for you."

Friday, July 15, 2011

Day 10 "The Heart of Worship"

Point to ponder: The heart of worship is surrender.

Verse to Remember: "Surrender your whole being to him to be used for righteous purposes." Romans 6:13

Question to consider: What area of my life am I holding back from God?

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Day 9 "What makes God Smile"

So when does God smile?  Well God smiles when we trust him completely.  How do we do this we let go and and give home control.  We parents forget sometime to let go and follow instruction.  Just as we get angry at our children when they do not do as we ask, God is for sure to get angry with us when we do not do what he ask.  This does not mean he no longer loves us.  He just has to help us get back on track.  By having an open relationship with God we can avoid some of these pit falls and stay on the right track.  God smiles when we Obey him with all our heart.  if you read the story of Noah in the bible, God asked him to do some outlandish things for that day.  But did Noah ask his friend what to do?  Did he tell God he would think it over and get back to him?  Did he just forget about it and hope God would forget as well?  No he took it on the shoulders and followed Gods word, with every detail.  Was he mocked and ridiculed?  Of course but so were all of Jesus's followers and I am sure glad they didn't quit.  We need to be better at following Gods word, and his direction.  God smiles when we praise and thank him continually.  I know for my self on of my love languages is kinda words or words of affection.  This means that telling me when I have done good or pleased you means more to me than receiving a gift, or a pat on the back.  I get great joy knowing I pleased someone.  So why is it so hard for us to tell God he has pleased us.  and this should not just be when our life is good and things are going great.  I lost a job last year that I had worked for 10.5 years.  I was sad when I was let go.  But I thanked God for forcing me to leave a bad situation that was not for me.   This has allowed me to move on to a new job that is a much better fit for me.  I am blessed that God cared that much about me.

Day 9 "What makes God Smile"

Point to Ponder: "God smiles when I trust him.

Verse to remember: "The Lord is pleased with those who worship him and trust his love." Psalm 147:11

Question to consider: Since God knows what is best, in what area of my life do I need to trust him most?

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Day 8 "Planned for God's Pleasure"

Today's reading is about praise and worship for Gods pleasure.  I often think of Praise and worship being associated with my time at church each week.  But this chapter has not me that worship should be an all day everyday thing.  In everything thing we do we should do it as though we are doing it for Jesus.  How does that change your world.  How much of our life do we just do, without thought or concern.  For example picking up our kids from school or camp.  Instead of feeling rushed to get there and pick them up on time and get to the next thing on the list, we need to slow down and take the time to build our relationship with our children.  And if our relationship is good we can work  on there relationship with God, or there friends, or with the church.  Praise God with caring for and loving the children he has given us.  We bring glory to God by using our talents to fulfill his purpose for us.

Day 8 "Planned for God's Pleasure"

Point to ponder: I was planned for God's pleasure


Verse to remember: "The Lord takes pleasure in his people." Psalm 149:4a


Question to consider: What common task could I start doing as if I were doing it directly for Jesus?

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Day 7 "The Reason for Everything"

The reason for everything is God.  God created all.  But do we give him thanks or praise him for all he has given for us?  Do we live like God is first in our hearts and minds? I know I don't.  This chapter talked about Gods five purposes for your life.  The five are 1.) To bring glory by worshiping him, 2.) Bringing glory to God by loving other believers, 3.) We bring God Glory by becoming like Christ, 4.) Bring God glory by serving others with our gifts, and 5.) We bring God glory by telling others about him. Living solely for God will require some changes, or in my case lots of changes.. But that is OK I am ready to change for God.  Of the five purposes above number four will come most easily to me. I get a true happy heart helping or serving others.  I try to serve at church as much as possible.  The joy comes to me when people smile back and acknowledge that someone took the time to say hi and notice them.  So much of our life is geared toward protecting ourselves from everything and everyone we have lost the people connection.  I love watching my son interact with people.  He has no blinders on he see the good in everyone.  He like to learn new things about them and make them laugh.  He can light up a room with his smile and laugh.  I am really looking forward to learning about the other four purposes and how I can use then to glorify God.  I think this is going to be a fun ride.

Day 7 "The Reason for Everything"

Point to Ponder: It's all for him.


Verse to Remember: "For everything comes from God alone. Everything lives by his power, and everything is for his glory."  Romans 11:36


Question to Consider: Where in my daily routine can I become more aware of God's glory?

Monday, July 11, 2011

Day 6 " Life is A Temporary Assignment"

Wow what a chapter.  Dealing with life on a whole new plane.  We should look at life on earth as just a vacation.  It is not our home nor our destination, rather just a spot we are visiting.  We should live and act as though heaven is our home.  For as Christ followers we will spend eternal life there.  This is so hard to even understand.  The scope of this is bigger than I think most of us can imagine.  So if we are to only look at life on earth as a spec in the overall, should this change how we live.  Or better yet should we look at our action closer and see what we do with our time here, and image what we will do for eternity.  If we do not love today can we love tomorrow?  If we judge today will we not judge forever, and forever we shall be judged?  How can I change this cycle?  I know I used to live for material things, is I could just get enough to by that new toy, or bigger thingy I would be happy.  The trick was it never made me happy it just made me want something else.  What I need to make me happy is the Love of God, and family.  as I get older I realize how much time I wasted in my life.  I am getting ready to go on my first mission trip to help spread the word of Christ to people who are intimidated by what people will thing of them for going to church, when I used to worry about what people thought of me cause I didn't go to church.  Why did this matter?  Guilt I guess.  I feel like if I had found Christ and got to know him as I am now there would be no end to the glory I would do in his kingdom for him.  Being a Christ follower and surrounding yourself with Christ follower will change your perspective on a lot of things.  If you have not experienced it find someone who has and ask them about, then once you do get it spend the rest of your life looking for those that have not.

Day 6 " Life is A Temporary Assignment"

 Point to Ponder:The world is not my home.


Verse To Remember:  "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary  but what is unseen is eternal." Corinthians 4:18


Question to Consider:  How should the fact that life on earth is just a temporary assignment change the way I am living right now?

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Day 5 " Seeing Life from God's View."

So how does God see your life?  How do you see your life?  The way you see you life will determine how you live your life.  How do you imagine your life.  I always hear little sayings on how someone compares there life to something.  The most well know has got to be from the movie Forest Gump, "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get."  But is that true?  Do we really not know what we are going to get? Don't we set ourselves up for what we get.  I know when I was younger and had different priorities, I found myself in situations I could have avoided with better decisions.  This chapter talked about two main topics 1.) Life on Earth is a test and how God continually test our character, faith, obedience, love, integrity, and loyalty. I think we often fail or don't always pass these test with flying colors.  God watches and examines how you react to these test.  As well as watches our daily actions.  The second topic of this chapter is "Life on Earth is a Trust."  God trust us to take care of the earth as if it were ours.  As a general rule people do not take care of things they use as well as the things they use.  If we would only realize none of it is ours and it is all Gods.  It is his creation.  We are just here to enjoy it when we live.  When we stop looking through our eyes at life and start looking at life through Gods eyes we will truly see the glory of his Kingdom.. How do we do this?  By Trusting in God.

Day 5 " Seeing Life from God's View."

Point to Ponder:  Life is a test and a trust.


 Verse to Remember:  " Unless you are faithful in a small matters, you won't be faithful in large ones."

Question to Consider: What has happened to me recently that I now realize was a test from God? What are the greatest matters God has entrusted to me?

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Day 4 "Made to Last Forever"

This is such an important topic to dwell on.  So often we forget that our time on earth is but just a splash of time in the overall.  We get so caught up in work, and school, home, friends, and family. We often forget to set time aside for Christ.  This should be our daily opportunity to build our relationship with God and ourselves.  If we don't take the time to talk to God now, we will never fully understand what his purpose for us is.  He has shown me in my life what choice I needed to make and has corrected the bad mistakes I have made as well.  I did not always know it at the time but as I lock back I can see his hand at work.  So if I am designed or destined to live forever what are some of the things I can change?  I can learn to love more.  Understand better when I think I have all the answers.  Ask questions when I need help.  Help when people ask.  There are times in my life where I will see someone with a flat tire or juggling 5 things at once, or someone sitting alone at church, and I think to myself, I should go ask them if they need a hand, or if I can change that tire for them, or if they need someone to pray with them or for them.  But I don't.  I feel bad when I don't but I never learn.  this is the hurdle I would like to overcome.  I need to build up the courage to stop and ask, or lend a hand, or in some cases just stop and start helping.  I am going to challenge myself to start doing this once a week when the need arises.

Day 4 "Made to Last Forever"

Point to Ponder:  "There is more to life than just here and now."

Verse to Remember: "This world is fading away, along with everything it craves.  But if you do the will of God, you will live forever." 1 John 2:17

Question to Consider: Since I was made to last forever, what is the one thing I should stop doing and the one thing I should start doing today?"

Friday, July 8, 2011

Day 3 "What Drives Your Life?"

Today was a busy day with not much time to meditate.  I did think a lot about what others might think makes me tick.  I would hope most would same my family.  Family is important to me.  I don't know how many would say God or my church.  I am working on this.  I am still learning what it means to put god first and foremost.  I understand I should live that way, however with 38 years of not living that way it can be difficult to change.  I have started letting go with making plans and being rushed all the time to have organization.  I heard a quote on the radio today that fit me and Candice to a tee. "Maybe her being late is teaching me patients"  Oh how true.  Thinking today about my purpose is opening a lot of question for me.  What am I hear to do?  Candice thinks part of our purpose is to raise Nathan as a Christ follower, that God has big plans for him.  I tend to agree with her.  I know every parent thinks there child is the smartest or the prettiest, and they should.  But with Nathan I have done nothing in life to have been blessed with such a great child.   His caring compassionate heart, quick mind, Iron stubbornness, mild disposition, he is truly a great child and i think can do great things.  If my purpose in life is to get Nathan to where he needs to be so God can work miracles with him I am ok with that. As far as what I would like the driving force in my lift to be?  To be a devoted Christ follower, a dedicated husband, a well rounded dad, and a compassionate human toward all others.

Day 3 "What Drives Your Life?"

Point to ponder: Living on purpose is the path to peace.

Verse to Remember: "You, Lord, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you." Isaiah 26:3

Question to consider: What would my family and friends say is the driving force of my life? What do I want it to be?

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Day 2 "Thinking About My Purpose"

So day to is in the history books and again I have been thinking about this all day.  I hope one day I will have the courage to give all control to God.  I find myself constantly trying to keep control when I just need to let go and let things be.  If you think about what the verse is saying it is so powerful. "I am your creator, you were in my care even before you were born."  I mean God is telling us to just sit in the passenger seat and enjoy the ride.  Let go and give him control.  I have decided to wake up each morning look in the mirror and tell myself "IT IS NOT ABOUT ME, LET GOD DO HIS WORK" Hopefully one day it will take hold.  As for the point to ponder today, this one really hurt.  When you stop and think about the things in your life you are not happy about it makes you sad, the worst part is when you start asking yourself "We'll what have you done to change it?" I have struggles with all the area they brought up.  I struggle with my personality in the fact I have difficultly making  and keeping long term friends.  I don't really have friends that I count on for things.  I was raised in a military family and moved quite a bit.  I never keep up with people I had meet over the years.  I would like to change this about me but don't really know where to start.  As far as background, I have been hurt by people in relationships in the past.  Like we all have.  I made me turn cold and bitter towards people.  I found myself with a loss of compassion toward other people.  However since I have given my life to Christ and was Baptized I find myself filled with emotions for things I used to be dead about.  I have even been second guessing some of my long held beliefs. This has really been in my mind for some time now.  I know in time God will give me the answers I am looking for.  As far as the physical side of things, I have been overweight for most of my life.  I am struggling to maintain a diet and exercise plan.  I have very low will power and give in too easily.  I know I just need to develop the habit and it will get easier.  I want to teach and show my son the importance of having a healthy body, not only for health reasons but the world treats you differently when you overweight.  I am not asking for pity or sympathy with that statement but it is true.  When you are over weight people will just tell you how to lose weight or comment when you are eating something.  You never hear someone that is average size to not eat something or tell them a way to look better.  I know God has a purpose for me and he made me the way he did for a reason.  Thank you.

Day 2 "Thinking About My Purpose"

Point to Ponder "I am not an Accident"

Verse to Remember: "I am your creator.  You were in my care even before you were born."  Isaiah 44:2

Question to consider: "I Know that God uniquely created me.  What areas of my personality, background, and physical appearance am I struggling to accept?"

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Day 1 and its Not about Me.

So I have thought about this all day.  I printed the bible verse on an index card and put it in my car. I looked at all day and must have read it 50 times. But the question is what would not escape my mind.  " In spite of all the advertising around me, how can I remind myself that life is really about living for God, not myself?"  And this got me to thinking was the advertising what I normally think of as advertising, TV, Radio, Billboards?  Or was this not deep enough?"  The more I thought about it, the more I began to think of temptation and sin.  Maybe its asking how do we resist duplicating what we see.  How do we remind ourselves that we should ask if this is right in the name of God.  One way I can think of is to surround your self with fellow Christ followers or remove yourself from thing in your life that do not allow you to live the way you want.  I have been reminded today  "Everything got started in him, and finds its purpose in him" Colossians 1:16

Day 1 and its Not about Me.

"For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible,... everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him" Colossians 1:16

Day one "Thinking about my Purpose"

Point to ponder - "Its not about me"

Verse to remember "Everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him" Colossians 1:16
Question to consider: In spite of all the advertising around me, how can I remind myself that life is really about God, not myself?

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Purpose Driven Life

In my efforts to become a better Christ Follower I have stumbled upon the book " Purpose Drive Life."  I am not a big reader so I have decided I will post a blog everyday about the reading for that day.  Then I will post an additional blog in the evening after meditating on it all day.  I welcome comments as I go along this trail.