Times Are Changing

As I look ahead to the fall, I see so much in our life changing! The boys will be in Kindergarten. Is that really possible? I can’t believe that they are five years old already. We plan on homeschooling, but Kindergarten is still a milestone in their lives and in ours. I think about how our life will never be the same and am nervous about the pressure and responsibility to train our children in all they need to be responsible, polite, respectful, intelligent (hopefully) children and someday adults.

Over the past few years, we have changed the priorities that we used to have in life and have made decisions that we hope will bring glory to God and peace in our home. They continue to change and evolve into what we see as walking closer to God, choosing to choose His way of life rather than the world’s. We want to live debt free... if we are out of debt and are talking about the way we spend our money, then we will have no money troubles... and the love of money and material things is the source of so much discord and unhappiness in our world. We don’t want them to affect our marriage and our family negatively. We need a new truck, but have decided to save until we can pay cash for it. God has been faithful in providing for us and I have no doubt that He will honor our decision and keep Doug’s old truck running a little while longer until we have saved some more money! I am thankful for the change in our priority of debt... We don't want any!!!

Our life seems so busy now, we seem always on the go, compared to few short years ago and that in itself reminds me that times are changing. I was a schedule fanatic, I used to never miss naptime or bedtime, now it is normal for several times a week for our schedule to go out the window. I get frazzled and frustrated don’t always feel like I am a good mom and wife. I question the way discipline and my expectations, not only of the kids but my expectations of myself. I wonder who am I trying to please...

As a busy wife and a mom I have to constantly remind myself that my Lord and Savior HAS to be the center of my life, the Only One I am trying to please. He never changes and that part of my life should never change either. As I go from breakfast to lunch to laundry to groceries to cleaning bathrooms and then on to work it is so easy for me to lose my focus. As times around me are changing and at times spinning out of control, today, I am reminded that everything can change, but God’s love for me does not change, Jesus dying on the cross for me does not change, God’s unending grace and mercy does not change. If I keep my focus on those things, I will have what ever I need, whenever I need it to get through life and it’s constant changes, and I will have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, on the other side of that change.

And God Reminds Me...

I am again reminded why I changed the direction my website is going... Our church recently looked at hosting a mini-women’s conference where a well-known, well-respected woman would be teleconferenced in for part of the conference. The minimum price is $1000 for up to 250 people. If we chose to charge, that would leave out many people who could not afford to pay to come. So sad that that price is out of reach for the majority of churches and people in the world!

I believe that God has given me a desire as well as a gift to write and speak/teach about Him to others. I desperately want to share what God has done to change my life and the things that He is teaching me everyday, with others. I believe with all of my heart that anything I do has to be available to everyone, but at the same time not appear as cheesy and low budget! Someday, FaithWalk will have podcasts and video teachings as well as the already available traditional Bible study and the coming really soon mini-studies, all to help you in your walk with Christ.

I could add great stuff everyday (not going to happen right away, LOL), but the only way my website will gain exposure and become reputable is YOU! I need you to share my website with everyone you know. Share it with email. If you are a member of the FaithWalk facebook page, go to the FaithWalk page (type faithwalk in the search on FB and it will come up) then suggest it to all of your friends. Tell your church leaders about it, tell them that I am willing to come and speak to large or small groups at no charge.

God has led me in the direction of creating this website to be available to all, I believe that God has led me to you to help me spread the word! Will you be a part of God’s bigger plan?

Maybe I Have Been Doing It Wrong...

I think I may have come upon a personal revelation! I have been doing it all wrong! There are several areas of my life where I struggle with self control. I have shared with you all that food is one of them... I continually go down this road, not only with food, over and over and over again. I know that I need the power of the Holy Spirit to help me discover and embrace this self control that I lack. I read about it, pray about it and when I fail, I chastise myself, I feel guilty, and just give up. When I give up on the area of self control, I find that I also give up on (for lack of a better term to fit here) Jesus too. It’s like I have made the two connected. This is what I do...

I decide that I am going to get control of my self control.

I decide that I need Jesus to do it.

I make strong commitments to myself and to Jesus.

I pray and read my Bible.

After 1-5 days, I fail.

Guilt, self-pity, chastisement...

Done... until the next time.

Basically, I make the decision and attempt on my own power to make a change, bringing Jesus along as a sidekick. It’s like I thought that if I make the decision to do something and take Jesus along, then I will be successful... WRONG!!! What I should be doing is seeking Jesus all of the time, not connected to any particular area of my life. I need to continue to recognize and remember the problem area in my life. Seek Jesus for guidance and ask Him for ways to escape temptation. First, I HAVE to be connected to Jesus only for the love and peace and fulfillment that comes from a close relationship with Him. NOT for what He can do for me! I need to allow that relationship to grow and develop independently from needing it to escape a stronghold.

Sometimes I think that I know the right answers, but get them mixed up when I go to apply them in my own life! This walk with Jesus that I am on is a work in progress that I am privileged to be able to share with it you! (Especially when I stumble or when I see a light on a dark path, or both) I hope that it encourages you in your walk... the walk doesn’t have to be perfect, you just have to be walking!