Another Honest Scrap

Ha! I don't know how to do this! Early this week, I was honored An Honest Scrap Award, by my new blog friend, Catrina . I can't even continue without saying how blessed I feel to have met her here, on Blogspot, and on FaithWriters.com. God has really used her to encourage me through scripture, even if she didn't realize it! :)

So, now, in return I must list 10 honest things about me! Whew, here it goes!

1) I love chocolate
2) I hate spiders!
3) I can be a little OCD, at times.
4) I'm not very good at trusting other people (but God is forcing a change in that)
5) I love God, He is everything to me, and He fills me with all that I need in Him.
6) I love worship, but I'm afraid to let people see that (see # 4 for details)
7) My husband is my best friend. I'm not just saying that, he really is!
8) I want to get involved in short term missions.
9) I like to read the thesaurus and find new exciting words.
10) I like being happy!

Okay, so I was honest! Now, to pass this award on to other blogs that inspire me.

Venting - This is my husbands blog! He has really opened up in his writing, and started sharing parts of himself, and mostly it melts my heart when I read it!

Life As I Know It - I really haven't had a chance to meet Suzy in person, but I am blessed to have "met" her through my friend Traci. I see that God is working in her life, and I enjoy reading about the steps she is taking towards Him.

Hmmmmm.... - Traci is my best friend from high school. Even though we are far apart, I still feel close to her, and I can't wait to see the things that she writes about as she begins her new blog!

Gosh, there are so many others, but right now these are the ones that I feel deserve this award. Hopefully it will inspire them to continue to share their testimonies with others, and encourage them to continue in what God is doing in their lives.

Again, I have to say thank you to Catrina! You have no idea how you made my day! One thing I constantly look forward to, is finding that I am sharing God's word with people I wouldn't normally get the chance to share with! Thank you!

Worship Me

"Lord, I want to worship you."
Worship Me.
"There are too many distractions."
Worship Me.
"This song is just too fast."
Worship Me.
"That lady on stage, is she really worshipping, or is it an act?"
Worship Me.
"I can't worship You, the mood is not right, my mind is not focused, and I have too many things keeping me from You."
Worship Me.
Gen 22:4-6
4On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance.
5Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you."
6Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together.

"Again, Lord? Why do You keep bringing me back to this? What am I missing?"

This word "worship" means to bow down, it also means obeisance.
obeisance- Noun 1. obeisance - bending the head or body or knee as a sign of reverence or submission or shame or greeting; 2. obeisance - the act of obeying; dutiful or submissive behavior with respect to another person.

I want to worship You. Forgive me for not being obediant in worship, for allowing the distractions, for making excuses. True worshippers, worshipping in spirit and in truth. I want to worship You in truth, and in spirit, even when my flesh is weak and would rather make excuses for disobediance.

Worship Me.

Romans 12:1-2 1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Discipleship: Getting ready for swimsuit season

Yes, I know the title is strange. But it was the best analogy I could think of last night, as I tried to make my flesh agree with my spririt, that discipleship is a good thing, and a needed thing. I guess it would be better to compare it to a runner preparing for a race, much like Paul does in 1 Corinthians 9.

24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

But with it being summer time, I thought it best to use the swimsuit! Besides, it will help with explaining the need to expose ourselves to the Lord. Think about how exposed you feel when you put on a swimsuit!

So, every year I go into a frenzied diet mode, trying to get ready for the coming swimsuit season. I research diets, excercises, and all other ways to lose that winter weight. But, when it comes to my spritual health, I do not seek out the knowledge of those who are able to help me. God has been telling me about counting costs, dying to self, and sacrifice, and while the words were hard to swallow at times, I continued to say "Yes, Lord." This week, it was brought to me that I need to put myself under certain women in the church, for...discipleship. And instantly my flesh said, "Wait, no way am I going to sit and be told what to do." For those who truely know me, you know I'm stubborn to the core, and don't like being told what to do. Even if it is right and good, I still don't like being told. I want to figure it out for myself. I guess I'll need to count that cost!

God clearly told me that this was coming. And even yesterday He took me to Proverbs 15.

5A fool rejects his father's discipline,
But he who regards reproof is sensible.

12A scoffer does not love one who reproves him,
He will not go to the wise.

And the clincher...

31He whose ear listens to the life-giving reproof
Will dwell among the wise.
32He who neglects discipline despises himself,
But he who listens to reproof acquires understanding.
33The fear of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom,
And before honor comes humility.

So, I'm getting ready for a spiritual swimsuit season! Lord help me to have a heart that is like fertile soil, and that I will listen to instruction and be obedient to Your word, life-giving reproof. To be humble, to be moldable, so that I can be usable.

The Stand - Hillsong United

You stood before creation
Eternity within Your hand
You spoke the earth into motion
My soul now to stand

You stood before my failure
Carried the Cross for my shame
My sin weighed upon Your shoulders
My soul now to stand

So what can I say
What can I do
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You

So I'll walk upon salvation
Your Spirit alive in me
This life to declare Your promise
My soul now to stand

So what can I say
What can I do
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You

So I’ll stand
With arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the One who gave it all

So I’ll stand
My soul Lord to You surrendered
All I am is Yours

What an amazing song. How often do we abandon our hearts for the Lord? I have been the type of person, who at all costs protects the heart. And yet, God clearly says that is the one thing He desires most. Our hearts abandoned to Him. Sitting in my cubicle at work, and all I wanted to do was bow before my God in complete surrender.

Lord, all I am is Yours. All that I am I surrender to You!