Amazing

Something amazing happened to me this week, and I must give God all the glory for it.

Last April, I moved into a bigger apartment. I was so excited to have more space and not be so cramped. I thought this would help decrease my stress level. Several months after I moved, work cut our hours. I was strapped for money. I continued to tithe, because that is what we are suppose to do. I strongly believe that you can't afford not to tithe. My parents and I looked at my finances, and I should not have been able to pay all of my bills. But, every month everything got paid. It was amazing. Our hours were only suppose to be cut for the summer, but fall rolled around and we never got our hours back. Winter rolled around, and we still had not gotten our hours back. My bills were always paid, but it was stressful to not know how they were going to happen. I began to pray that God would pull me out of that situation. I went to my apartment complex office and told them the situation. They said I could cancel my lease but I would have to give a 60 day notice and pay $817.00. That was not an option for me. I was getting out of my lease because I had no money. I couldn't pull $817.00 out of my behind!! I began to explore the option of subleasing. It took over a month to find someone to sublease.

Finally, I found someone to sublease my apartment. I was able to move into a house with three other girls. Rent and utilities total to about $400. I was paying $545 for just rent before!! This is increadible. I began praying to God about what I could do with this extra money.

Pastor's sermon was right to me. I have always tithed, but it spoke to me in another way. I could give more now!! How exciting!!!! Right after last weeks sermon, I rushed home. I turned on my computer and began to look at where I spend money, how I could better budget my money, how I could increase my regular giving, and how much I could give to the expansion pledge. Anyone who knew me before Elevation, knows how this is a sign of true change.

When evaluating my money, I decided to tithe off of an 80 hour check, not the random hours I've been getting with cut hours. This was going to be my way of showing God I still had faith in Him in this situation. I wanted to show God that I still believed that He had a job for me that would be more stable, more emotionally, spiritually and intellectually and fulfilling.

Keep in mind, as you read on. This was last weekend. I got paid yesterday. So all the budgeting I did was for February. I had not actually tithed off of an 80 hour check.

Guess what happened this week? We got word that we would be getting our hours back. Everyone is back to a 40 hour week. How amazing is that? All I had to do was put it on paper and show God that I had faith in Him. I have given God all of the praise for this. I take no credit. He is an awesome God.

This story applies to everyone. Are you giving God all you can give Him? Keep in mind that He gave it all to you to begin with. Have faith that you will get a job. Have faith that your dream job will hire you. Have faith that the Lord is with you. Never let your faith slip away. Lean on God, no matter how hard this situation is. God is always good. He will always be with you, you just have to let Him be there.

Encouragement

I know that in some way or another, everyone will be able to relate to what I am dealing with.

I have talked about this several times. I am very unhappy in my work situation. My boss is inconsiderate and rude to the staff, my children are bored in my classroom (and there is nothing I can do about that), my co-workers are not the best influence on me, and I am not spritually, mentally or emotionally fufilled in my position.

I was emailing my eGroup leader about this. I was asking her for prayers. Her response has kept me thinking.

I have found that often in my walk that God doesn't take me to the next place until He's found me faithful in the first place. I am not saying you aren't being faithful but this may be a stretch of your character right now.

I am continually asking myself what I need to do to show God that I am faithful in my situation. I feel as if I am being faithful. I have yet to loose faith that He will bring me a job that I will be spritiually, mentally and emotionally fufilled. I have yet to doubt that God will pull me out of this. I continue to go into work every day with hope that something will be different.

I am praying that God show me what I need to be doing differently in this situation, as well as give me strength to do what I need to do!! I know God is with me in this. I have no doubt there!!

So, to you... you are unhappy in an area of your life. What is that area? What do you think you need to do differently to show God that you are faithful where you are? God can't take you somewhere else until you have finished doing what God has called you to do where you are at.

Love you!

Deer

Attention: Before you read this, you must know there is nothing biblical or prophetic in this post, just a little something that I thought of last night.

Last night I babysat my two favorite boys! Knox was not feeling well, which (sad to say) was great. He was all snuggly and just wanted to watch TV in my lap. He hasn't been like that in a long time. It was lovely! They went to bed just fine. I watched TV until Ryan and Danielle came home.

They got home a little after midnight. As I am driving through Matthews, I see a dear in the middle of the road. I didn't come close to hitting the dear or anything. But, that poor dear. Just hanging out in the middle of the road.

I am a country girl from a middle-no-where-no-stop-light-blink-and-you'll-miss-it town in South Carolina. Something like 10 acres of land my grandparents have (where I grew up). A decent size house and a lot of land!! A ton of beautiful trees on their property. My grandpa had to build in gates on the deck because deer would come up on our porch and eat the flowers. Deer would drink out of the pond. I mean, I grew up where seeing deer everywhere.

I feel so bad for deer. This was their land. They use to play, and graze, and live on this land. And, some fool decided it would be nicer to have a lovely housing development and through the deer out of their home. Not just deer, many other animals, but this is about the deer for me... :-)
Now these beautiful animals have to run across busy streets, highways and interstates risking their life for survival.

I hate that. There isn't anything I can do about it. In this situation, what is done is done.

I just had to show that poor deer standing in the middle of S. Trade some love.

Memory Verse 2 and 3

I spent this week memorizing 1 Corinthians 10:31...

Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

I have spent time trying to figure out what that means for my life. Currently, this means working for the glory of God. I had a very rough week at work. It seemed never ending, my boss did several things that I had to make myself repeat this verse, my kids couldn't seem to listen. It just wasn't a glorifying week. I left for my lunch break on Thursday in tears from frustration. This verse is just a reminder that I may not be happy where I am, but I need to press on for the glory of God.

Next week, I am going to memorize Romans 12:11-12.

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

1. What does this verse say?

In the most simplest of forms... This verse says that we should serve the Lord with zeal and spiritual fervor and we should be joyful and patient when we are suffering and be faithful in our prayers.

2. What does this verse mean?

To be sure I dissect this verse the best possible, I looked up the definition to several of the words. Zeal is defined as "eagerness and ardent interest in pursuit of something". Fervor means "intensity of feeling or expression". So, we should always be eager and want to serve the Lord. Affliction means "great suffering". So we should always have hope, patient in our times of suffering and faithful that the Lord will come through!!

3. What does this verse mean to me?

Lately at work, I have been lacking in zeal and spiritual fervor at work. God has given me this job and I need to be thankful for it. Even though it is not where I want to be, I still need to work with eagerness to serve the Lord. The part that is screaming out to me in this verse is that I need to be patient in my affliction. As I already discussed, I am not satisfied where I want to be at work. I need to be patient that the Lord will pull me out of this. This also means I need to be more faithful in my prayers. Our God is strong and mighty and will pull me out of this. He will answer my Sun Stand Still prayer. I just have to be more faithful when praying to Him about these things.

I am thankful for this verse. I am thankful for this way to go through a verse and help me realize what it truly means for me. I am thankful for the opportunity to serve the Lord in all that I do. Our God is an awesome God, He is.

Reflection on Week Two

Happy Sunday!! Here is my reflection on my second week on goals in January.

- Encouraging me to make a daily commitment to read my Bible
I did much better with this goal this week. I read my Bible every day and had some incredible incitements. I think having two unexpected days gave me the opportunity to make some sort of routine for myself.

- Understanding and growth in my Bible reading
Yes! I am gaining so much through my reading. I am working on memorizing a verse a week. And there is just so much to learn from that!! Because I do not just want to memorize a verse, I want to understand why it is worth memorizing.

- A stronger prayer relationship
A longer drive for work is giving me an amazing opportunity. I am spending my whole drive to work with God. I am praying to Him and listening to what He has to say for me. I am praying for my eTeam more than I ever have before. I am praying for my friends. It is amazing.

- Encouraging me to get healthy in January (NO MORE FAST FOOD!!)
I did great this week! I had Chick-Fil-A on Tuesday and McDonalds on Thursday. I only had McDonalds on Thursday because I was in a rush and it was the only place without a line. I am very proud of myself.

Other great things that happened this week:

I finally officially subleased my apartment. I am officially moved into the house. I am so happy about this transition. God is amazing.

My little brother joined an eGroup. I am soo happy that he took this step.

I had the opportunity to attend a Ladies Night hosted by Holly Furtick. Pastor Christine Caine came to speak to us. Her message was amazing. I will never forget what she had to say.

I got a new eTeam member!! I am so excited to see my team growing! God is so good!!