Chipping Away

I viewed a video this morning that absolutely gripped my heart.
Thank You to Dori at http://yourwordislife.blogspot.com/ for sharing this today.

The title is God's Chisel. I don't know about you, but God continues to pull out His chisel and chip away at who I am today to make me who He wants me to be.

Who He wants me to be is a true reflection of His Son Jesus.



Like Dori, this really leaves me speechless....

Cardboard Testimonies

I watched a video this afternoon that has totally rocked my world. By the end I had tears in my eyes. Not tears of sorrow but tears of gratitude to a wonderful, loving, grace giving Savior who has changed my life and my eternity.

I hope each of us will be challenged:

• Do you remember who were were before Jesus touched our life?
• Have you praised Him today for what He's done in your life since?
• Can you think of someone whose cardboard only has one side?
• Will you go and tell them the good news that they too can be forever changed?
  

Please come back tomorrow to join me for Saturday Steps of Faith

I'm listening

So much noise, all around us, all the time. At home it's the kids, the TV, the phone, the cell phone, the IPod, the washer, the dryer, the timer, the furnace, the dog... There's always something or someone clamouring for our attention - making noise.

At work it's the same. Our bosses, co-workers, the phones, always someone wanting just a moment of our time. Just a few minutes to bend our ear. Have you noticed that even in elevators and public restrooms we have to have music & noise funneled in?

How about at a public event where they notify the crowd that they will be observing a "moment of silence"? How many seconds go by before the crowd begins to squirm and the silence is broken by whispers or fidgeting? Is it 15, 30, 45 seconds?

Is it no wonder that we have such a hard time hearing the voice of God? God Himself said these words,

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10

And yet I have such a hard time just being still and listening without talking. So much talking. So little listening and truly hearing what God has just for me.

Have you ever thought about that? How many times God wanted to whisper a word of encouragement, comfort or peace and I just couldn't be still. How about a word of warning that I didn't hear and instead had to endure some difficult consequence that could have been so easily avoided. All because I couldn't be still, for just a moment.

Father, forgive me for all of the noise that I bring with me into the throne room of Heaven. So much noise. So many distractions. So little focus. Teach me to be still and to listen. To know that you are God and must be exalted above everyone and every thing. I need to hear your voice - clearly. Just a word of direction, a word of comfort, a little encouragement. I love you so. Still my heart Lord, I'm listening.

WANTED - One Pair of Blue Socks

Don't you hate to lose something? Sunday morning I was looking for a pair of blue socks. I looked in my dresser, nothing but black socks. I looked in the laundry, nothing. I looked in the dryer, nothing. I must have a dozen pair of blue socks somewhere, but this morning they were nowhere in sight. Under my breath I uttered a simple prayer, “God, just one simple pair of blue socks is all I ask for. Please!” I looked and I looked and I looked as time slipped from my grasp. If I didn’t find a pair of blue socks soon I would be late for Church.

Finally I sat down on the bed and looked down in despair at the floor and then back at my pants. To my surprise, I realized that the pair of pants that I had put on were actually black - not blue. All of that hunting and searching, anxiety and drama for a simple pair of blue socks; when what I really needed was a pair of black socks.

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

God stopped me in my tracks that morning and made me realize how often I take off on a wild tangent hunting and searching, determined that I know exactly what I need. Looking for the answer. Looking for direction. Looking for help to get me out of a mess I got myself in to. Looking for…; and in the midst of my struggle, God is watching and waiting and whispering:

Be still, and know that I am God; Psalm 46:10

It wasn’t until I had exhausted all of my options that I finally sat down on the bed. It was then that the answer came, “You are looking for the wrong thing in all of the wrong places. Be still and look, I have already met your need.”

If you remember, the first place I looked for a pair of socks was in my drawer. When I opened the drawer it was full of black socks. EXACTLY what I needed! God had already provided! I was just too blinded by my wants to see that God had already met my need, before I even asked.

29 But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul. 30 When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the LORD your God and obey him. 31 For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which he confirmed to them by oath. Deuteronomy 4:29-31

I praise God for His mercy! That even in the midst of our foolishness, He is there patiently waiting for us to be still and know that He is God! I praise Him for meeting all of my needs, even before I ask. What love! What grace!