"Ever Been Discouraged?"

Asking the question "Have you ever been discouraged?" is sort of like asking the question "Have you ever been hungry?"  Of course we have been both!!!  Now the question is "What do we do?"  If we are hungry, we get something to eat---we don't wither away and die of extreme hunger--we feed ourselves.  When we are discouraged, we must begin to feed ourselves on something other than more discouragement---which is one of the things that happened to me yesterday.   Being discouraged is one of those tactics of the enemy---to get us so down about something or someone that we are rendered "helpless" to ourselves or others.  I remember reading "a discouraged soul is helpless.  He can neither resist the attacks of the enemy for himself, while in this state, nor can he prevail in prayer for others." I know discouragement is not from our Father who is our constant source of love, hope, and encouragement.  I believe He wants you and I to be a source of encouragement to others.  After being impressed to share a story with you, I sat down to write this post.  Yesterday in my church was senior recognition Sunday where we honor and celebrate the five high school seniors, one of which was my oldest granddaughter.  I so wanted everyone to be there for this special occasion and sent out e-mails and posted on Facebook to encourage everyone to come.  I expected a full house---all the pews full for this joyous occasion that I was so excited about !!  I prayed and prayed for lots of people to come.  When I got to church early, it was not a packed house like I thought, but I just knew they would be coming.  I looked around and began to think "Oh Lord, where is everyone?"   I began to be discouraged in looking around at the empty pews because it was not a full house like I wanted.  I had no idea at the time that I was stepping right into a trap!!  The service started and it was a wonderful time of celebrating these amazing five seniors that we have all had the joy of watching grow up--praying for them and loving all of them.  My pastor, Leah, gave a wonderful message on Jonah and how God told him to go to preach to the people at Ninevah, but Jonah ran away from God in the opposite direction, got on a boat, thrown overboard, swallowed by a great fish, prayed for three days in the belly of the fish, vomited out of the fish, and finally Jonah did what God told him to do in the first place---we all know the story---but Leah's message was for these five seniors.  She told them that no matter what Jonah did---obeying God or disobeying Him that God was still with Jonah in everything he did and everywhere he went-- just like no matter what we do or where we go, God is there---whenever we are doing what God wants us to do or running away from God---He is still with us!!!  He never leaves us---ever---just like He never left Jonah!!  She spoke words of encouragement to the seniors and to all of us.  God's presence with us at all times is a promise we can all count on and believe.  Later in the afternoon, I began to see what happened that morning----I was looking around at the empty pews instead of looking at the people who were there and BEING THANKFUL for each and every person!!!  There were LOTS of people in church to thank God for---but I had allowed myself to be discouraged.  It is sort of like the glass of water filled up half way---is it half full or half empty?  Or we can look at the glass and BE THANKFUL for the glass and that it has water in it!!  I know that when I walked into my church yesterday morning, I was to look around--then look up and BE THANKFUL to God for each and every person and not fall into the trap of looking around and being discouraged!!  This is one of our spiritual weapons----seeds of discouragement from the enemy cannot be sown in a HEART of GRATITUDE!!!  I encourage you today to make a habit of looking for the silver lining of every cloud of discouragement that tries to darken your day and keep looking at that silver lining instead of the gray in the middle of the cloud.  Maybe sometimes we don't get what "we" want so we will be THANKFUL for what we do get!!  Hope your heart is full of gratitude today and that you dispell any clouds of discouragement that might come your way by looking up, up, up to the Lord and thanking Him!!

Blessings!!!!

Carolyn

"A Powerful Weapon"

Recently, I have been impressed to do a series of blogs on our spiritual weapons.  I heard a statement years ago that has remained with me and I believe it to be true.  It is "The Christian army is the only army that does not train its soldiers before sending them into battle."  No army on earth would recruit members and send them out on the battlefield without thoroughly equipping the soldiers with weapons and training them in the use of the weapons and the tactics of the enemy.  We as Christians are in an army---it is called the church----a living, breathing body of believers--you and me.  Our weapons according to scripture are not human weapons  --we cannot use guns or bombs to defeat our enemies.  The Word of God says we have three enemies---the world, our flesh (human nature) and satan.  One of the greatest tactics of any enemy is to convince its opponent that it does not exist---if we don't believe we have an enemy, we will never resist or fight.    If we, the church, do not prepare our soldiers when they become a follow of Jesus, it is like sending a lamb out into a pack of wolves.  Every day we live we are in a battle between the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of light---evil versus good---hatred and love.  This blog is about a powerful weapon we have been given----a weapon to defeat moaning, groaning, murmuring and complaining---all of which our flesh is really good at doing!!!  I know I am--after all, we have had more experience in being human than anything else.  Paul tells us in Romans that we are in a battle within us--between the flesh (our human nature) and the spirit (our divine nature).  This weapon is GRATITUDE--one of the most important, absolutely essential weapons we must learn.  Over and over in scripture we are told to "give thanks" and the way we become proficient in using our weapons is just like any army----practice, practice and practice!!  However, most of us need reprogramming so instead of griping and being negative, we have the choice to be thankful.  It will require us to purpose in our heart to choose to give thanks. Sometimes old habits die hard.   It is our choice to wake up in the morning and begin to thank the Lord for the gift of another day---no matter how we feel or if we slept well or not or whatever we have to do that day.  We can actually change our mindset and change our day if we determine to thank God----because there is no way we can moan and groan and be thanking God at the same time!!!  Only one thing can come out of our mouths at a time---that is why it is such a powerful weapon, but we must use it not just once a day but all day long---until it is a habit instead of the negative.  Why not start today practicing this powerful weapon in your life and speaking it out?  Let's start now---"Thank you, thank you, thank you Lord for the gift of another day.!!  I will rejoice and be glad in it!!  Thank you that your grace is sufficient for everything that this day brings!!  And that is just the beginning---I encourage you to live a life of gratitude!!  Amen and Amen:)
Blessings!!
Carolyn

"Let Me Loose In Your Life!"

Have you ever felt impressed to say something to a total stranger---words that you feel God is wanting you to speak?  I believe this is God's Holy Spirit wanting us to speak words to others that will encourage them, comfort them  or lift them up--or have you wanted to ask others if you can pray for them?  In the past when this has happened to me, I usually responded this way--"What if I don't say it right, what if they think I'm crazy, what if this isn't really from the Lord, what if I mess it up, so I better not do anything at all.   I have just "what if'd" my way out of doing what I knew God wanted me to do.
About a year ago, when I was praying, out of the blue I heard the words "Let Me Loose In Your Life!"  At first I wondered what that meant, but then I knew exactly what it meant.  I began to see a dog on a chain--the dog only went where I wanted it to go, only did what I allowed it to, and I had complete control of the dog.  It is like with God--I was keeping Him on a chain--just doing or saying what I wanted to do or say without being obedient to the leading of His Holy Spirit."  I knew it was "fear"--fear of what other people might think--fear of failure--fear of missing God or messing up what God wanted me to say or do.  I believe we can turn all our "what if's" into "What if it is exactly what the Lord wants me to say and do--what if this is exactly what the person needs--what if I pray and something happens---what if this is God directing me?  I know something always happens when we pray for someone---hearts are touched--needs are met.  When I have asked someone to pray for them, no one has ever said no, but the opposite--they are so thankful for the prayer.  Many times, this will happen in the grocery store, Wal Mart, post office, convenience stores--anywhere where people are.  Every day, you and I bump into many people who need a touch from the Lord.  Since you and I are all God has to use here on earth, it is up to us to speak for Him.  It is an honor and privilege to be a part of what God is doing in the lives and hearts of 
the people who cross our path every day.
One of the first times this happened to me, I was at a conveniene store.  There was a pickup by me with a young man feeding a banana to a little girl about a year old.  Another little girl was also in the pickup.  I knew the Lord wanted me to say something to him but not exactly sure what to say.  I went into the store and looked out the window at the man.  I did the usual excuses---what if he thinks I'm nuts, I don't know him, etc. etc.  But I was so convicted to speak to him that I told the Lord I would do it.  I went to the pickup and when he rolled his window down, I told him he did not know me but I wanted him to know the his daughters were so blessed to have him as a father.  I told him some other things too that I don't remember and went to my car.  I then heard a still, small voice saying "Was that so hard?"  Pretty sure it was my Father.
There are people every day that we bump into that are in desperate need of a touch from the Lord.  Sometimes it is a smile, a kind act, an encouraging word, a prayer offered them---it is whatever God puts on our hearts.  Why not today, just "do it" and let God loose in your life.  Not only will the person be blessed, but you also will be blessed too!
Blessings!!!
Carolyn

"Do I Have To?"

Dear Friends, I believe this message has the ability to change our thoughts, our words and our actions---even change our life. Several years ago, when our granddaughters were having a dance recital, my husband, Lynn, asked me if he had to go. I told him No--you don't have to go---you GET to go!! He definitely wanted to see his granddaughters---he just didn't want to sit through the hours it took to watch everyone else's granddaughters perform. I reminded him that some men never had the blessing of watching their grandchildren.

We have a choice every day of our life---it can begin this way. When we wake up in the morning and think "Do I have to get up?"--we have a choice to choose this day as a gift from God and be thankful---then change this thought to---No, I don't have to---I GET to!!! Mercy woke us up this morning---another day to look like our Father---another day to be like Jesus---another day to enjoy and rejoice!! Then as we go through our day we can change all the "Do I have tos?". Like going to work---no, I don't have to---I GET to---a job means I can work---a job means I am blessed with a job---a job means I get to go and carry God's presence into the workplace---I get to enjoy the ones I work with!  Do I have to clean house, do the laundry, prepare meals, take care of my spouse----the list goes on and on----always with the choice to change it to I GET to !!!!  Do I have to mow the lawn, take out the trash, keep the children------help someone, feed the hungry, go see someone, give to this---give to that---Wow!!!! the opportunities that we have every day!! 

 I pray we all wake up every day realizing we just received another "gift" from God---another day to live--another day that we GET to carry His presence---to be what we were created to be---to be His image in our world.  Next time we start thinking "Do I have to?", I challenge you to remember---"No, I don't have to--I GET to!!"  There is another choice, because even though we tell ourselves we get to----sometimes our want to, just doesn't want to!  But I believe if we just "DO IT"-- the want to will come. 
Blessings!!!
Carolyn

"Out of Death Comes Life"

  This post has been a long time in coming---mainly because it requires me telling the depths to which I had descended before going to Brookhaven---HOWEVER---stay with me---that is not the end of the story!!  A little over a year ago when I got to BH, I had spiralled down into a deep, dark pit----this is something we would never wish on anyone and I hope you have never been there.  There is a good chance that if you have never been there, you have had friends or family members that have.  At that time, I had begun isolating myself--not answering the phone, texts, e-mails or the front door.  Now I know that is a "red flag"---when someone begins to "isolate" something is not right.  I was basically not functioning at all---just lying on the couch all day and my thoughts were very dark.  At that time, not living looked like a better option than living.  I know, my thinking was all messed up.  I know this sounds awful, but it was reality for me at the time.  I kept seeing myself hanging by a rope in the garage.  At first I knew I would not actually do anything like that because I would never do that to my family or put them through that, but as time went on and I sank deeper and deeper, I began to cross a line.  It is hard to explain, but there is a point when thinking about something but not acting turns into beginning to act on the thought.  It was at the point when I began to plan out how to hang myself and dwelling on those thoughts brought me to telling my family that if I did not get help, I would not be here.  Within a few days, I was at BH.  I walked in there with no desire to live---I was dying physically, emotionally and spiritually.  It would take a book for me to tell you everything that my God in His love, mercy and grace did for me during those three months at BH and in the months since I have come home. 
     So, this post is to tell you one incident at BH that happened.  After I had been there about a month, we had a group of artists come and help us paint a picture.  We had our easels outside and I knew I wanted my picture to be an old, dark wooden cross with bursts of light coming out from behind it and at the bottom of the picture I wanted written "Out of Death Comes Life."  The artists helped us and I wanted the cross to be all cracked looking---just like we are at times in our life----so they helped me use this plaster looking material that cracked when it dried.  Then I stained the cross.  As I was trying to outline the cross with a paint brush, my hand shook so much from the anxiety I was dealing with at the time that I could not paint a straight line.  I began to ask the Lord how long this was going to last.  At that very moment, a beautiful butterfly landed at my waist.  As I looked down at the butterfly, I knew it was from the Lord reminding me of the promise of new life and that truly "Out of Death Comes Life."  The butterfly comes from death--as the caterpillar becomes a cacoon and dies, then out of that comes forth a beautiful live butterfly.  I was not able to write that at the bottom of the cross, but I found someone who would write it for me.  I kept it on my wall at BH while I was there, and I now have it framed.  I see it every morning when I sit down in my chair reminding me of so many things---first of all, out of our Lord's death on the cross, you and I live--we live free from the penalty of sin--because He died, we live.  But there is much, much more to this.  As we follow Him and "die" to self, He lives His life in and through us---a river of life that flows out from our innermost being.  At BH, we painted a "letting go box" and we put in it all the things in our life that we needed to let go of---mine included letting go of trying to please everyone, trying to fix others, letting go of past regrets or mistakes, letting go of worrying about the future---just a few.  In thinking about "dying" to self---it is like letting go---"dying" to always wanting to be right---to always having our own way.  It is letting go of the wrong motives in our hearts, letting go of bitterness, unforgiveness and resentment towards others, ourself or even God.  Beloved, it is just not worth hanging onto all that----it only brings "death" to us.  The good news is that when you and I "die" and come to the point of surrending our will to God and truly want His will more than we want ours, then an amazing thing happens----His life comes and fills us with joy, peace and love!!!  We live because He died---then we die so that He lives in and through us.  Hallelujah!!
Blessings!!!!
Carolyn

"WHO Told You That You Were Naked?"

     In the book of Genesis, when Adam and Eve sinned and then hid from God and covered themselves with leaves, God came to them and the question He asked was "WHO told you that you were naked?"  When I was reminded of this months ago, it was like a bolt of lightning hitting me!!  It has been almost a year since I went to Brookhaven Retreat in Tennessee--a voluntary, small, women's treatment center for mental health issues or substance abuse.  When I got there I thought that I was a failure---that I had failed God---that I was washed up--done up as a teacher and speaker---that all the passion I had for teaching and speaking God's Word was gone.  I was dying---physically, mentally and spiritually.  I could not sleep or eat and was in a horrible pit.  It is a long story that I will slowly share with you in future blogs, but the one thing I want to tell you about that hit me was "WHO told me I was a failure?"  WHO was feeding me all the lies?  Just like in the garden of Eden, it was the serpent--the devil--who came to tempt and lie to Adam and Eve, it was the "thief" that comes to steal, kill and destroy---the "father of lies"--the accuser of the brethren---the devil, who comes like a roaring lion seeking whom he can destroy and I believed the lies---lies straight from the pit of hell.  One of the greatest tactics of any enemy is to convince his opponent that he does not exist.  If satan can convince us that he is not real, we will never resist or come against him like it tells us in scripture---"Submit yourself to God, resist the devil and he WILL flee from you.  I like what someone said---"I know the devil is real--the Bible says so and I have had dealings with him."  I can attest to both!!  HOWEVER, "Greater is He (Almighty God) that is in us than he (satan) who is in the world!!"
      You and I are to be overcomers by the power of His Holy Spirit.  If we ever hear "Just WHO do you think you are?"---what we truly believe about ourselves will come rising up out of us---if we believe we are a failure and concentrate on all we think we have done wrong---then to us, that is what we will be, BUT---if the TRUTH--the Word of God---rises up in us, we will begin to believe, speak and know exactly WHO we are!!!  You and I are a child of the Most High God.  We are joint-heirs with Jesus---the apple of God's eye---a blood-bought child of the King of Kings.  We are unconditionally loved, completely accepted by God, and absolutely forgiven.  We are an original creation of Almighty God---there has never been anyone like you in the whole wide world and there never will be another like you---ever!!!  When we look in the mirror and agree with what God says about us instead of the lies the enemy feeds us, we will begin to love ourselves.  The commandments are summed up in "Love your neighbor as you love YOURSELF."  Many of us miss that part----We are to receive God's love, love ourselves and then that love pours out of us to others---until we truly accept, forgive and love ourselves, we cannot love others.
     Beloved----WHO do you see when you look in the mirror?  Scripture says you are fearfully and wonderfully made!!  This is not about being "full" of ourselves---proud and arrogant.  It is about agreeing with what our Father God says about us---believing the truth.  There is a scripture that says---"As a man believes in his heart---so is he."  What we believe deep down in the core of our being--our heart---then we will be.  ALL things are possible, only believe!!  We have been robbed, duped and lied to by the enemy of our souls--satan--.  Isn't it time to rise up and believe the truth of who you and I really are?  Amen and Amen!!
Blessings:)
Carolyn
"Out of Death Comes Life"---next blog---

"There's an "Angel" in my neighborhood!!"

     There is a scripture in the Bible that says to be careful how we treat strangers, because some have entertained angels and didn't even know it.  I am sure you have encountered many angels on your journey in life---they are everywhere!!  Not only are we surrounded by a hugh heavenly host of angels that we cannot see, but we are ministered to all the time by angels we can see.  I have been seeing one of these "angels" in my neighborhood for a long time.  She walks very slowly around the block and holds one arm up by her side.  In the wintertime she wore a green coat and would often be accompanied by a yellow cat.  Many times on her walk, this "angel" would stop to pet the cat.  As she was walking, she would always check to see if my neighbor across the street had received her paper.  If the paper was in the yard, the angel would pick it up, slowly take it up the sidewalk and lean it against her front door.  I don't know if she did this to other people in the neighborhood but she always did it for Hazel who lives across the street.  I observed her do this over and over.  A few months ago, when I saw her walking, I stopped my car and told her that she was an "angel."  She just smiled as I told her she was an angel sent from heaven.  The next time I saw her out of my bedroom window, as she came walking around the corner, I went outside and told her again she was an angel and asked her what her name was.  She could not tell me her name---she is not able to talk!!  I asked her if she could not speak because of having a stroke and she nodded her head.  I told her it was all right because I knew her name was "angel" and asked her if I could give her a hug which she did.  A few days later, a card was at my front door.  On the card, was a name and address---I knew at once it was my angel and her name is Lisa.!!!  I was so excited to know her name.  A few days ago, I looked out the window and there she was!!  I went outside and asked if her name was Lisa and she nodded her head and smiled!!  I just cried and was so moved with compassion for her!!  This precious one cannot talk but she is still ministering love, care and concern to others.
     Sometimes "angels" come and we are not even aware until after our encounter with them that it was truly an angel sent to us---they fly in and out of our lives.  They come as friends, family members and even complete strangers.  I have a whole "army" of these angels---friends and family who have prayed me through these last difficult months.  I am reminded over and over of the song by Alabama called "Angels Among Us" that says "I believe there are angels among us, sent down to us from somewhere up above.  They come to you and me in our darkest hour---to teach us how to live--to show us how to give---to light us with the light of love.  They wear so many faces, show up in the strangest places, Grace us with their mercy in our time of need."  Many times, these angels come just at the very moment we need them the most.
     They are everywhere!!!---if we will just open our eyes and see:) 
Blessings!!!
Carolyn