It's time start dancing!

The last two weeks in church (in two different churches, since I’m a roaming gnome), they sang the Chris Tomlin song Our God is Greater.  And each week I got really choked up during the chorus and bridge.  This part:

Our God is greater, our God is stronger
God You are higher than any other
Our God is Healer, awesome in power
Our God, Our God…
Our God is greater, our God is stronger
God You are higher than any other
Our God is Healer, awesome in power
Our God, Our God…

And if Our God is for us, then who could ever stop us
And if our God is with us, then what can stand against?
And if Our God is for us, then who could ever stop us
And if our God is with us, then what can stand against?
What can stand against?

I have no clue what is coming over me each week, other than God constantly reminding me that he is really greater.  That nothing that happens here on earth can ever halt my God and his love for me.  After I get over my emotional bout in the first 10 min of church, I am constantly distracted (at our church in Jersey), by the massive amounts of little kids!  Man they are too cute, ok reeling my attention back in on the service…but the newborn in front of me is staring at me!

The lesson this week was on 1 Kings 18 specifically 18:16-39.  I may have very well missed the overall point of the lesson but this is what I drew from it: Elijah was fed up with those worshiping false gods (yes another false god lesson…apparently I really need to look at this), and asked them  21”How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal (their false god) is God, follow him”.  The Chaplin explained the Elijah was fed up and was telling the people, just pick a side, whatever it is that you are going to worship, and worship it full on.  Don’t waiver between God and your false gods, pick a side.   He also asked a question which stuck with me-what are you dancing about?  Are you dancing about your team winning, or your great accomplishment (false gods of our time)?  Or are you dancing about God’s greatness?  How awesome God is to allow those amazing things to happen to you?

So this week I’m going to work on my dancing (I know, watch out right?) J  I’m going to work on dancing (maybe more mental than physical), for God’s awesomeness.  Remembering that it isn’t I who accomplishes anything, but his love through me which gives me talents. 

God, thank you for another day closer to Doug coming home.  I pray that you will continue to calm my heart during the last days of his deployment.  Lord I pray for continual reasons to dance in your name; I pray for the safe return of Hubby/Daddy Fillmore to Mama Fillmore, I pray for Capt Aubrious’ journey to Qatar this summer, use her to bless those there, I pray for Mel-O’s dad’s health and for her peace of mind during this tough time, I pray for Colin as he deals with the loss of his mom, I pray for my in-laws as they prepare to begin the journey to sell their home, may this bring them some financial security and all those who are slipping my mind now.  Lord give us reasons to dance, even if it be through the tears.  In your Son’s holy name I pray (and dance). Amen!

from rant to prayer

 I wasn't sure that I would blog every day, but God keeps on putting things on my heart, so I blog.  I began by thinking I'd post a prayer list every so often.  My prayer list began something like this:

- My good friend Colin and his family who just laid his mother to rest last Friday.  May they be comforted by knowing she is in heaven and may God comfort them through their time of grief.
- Melissa's Dad-he is undergoing surgery for cancer.  I pray for a speedy recovery, for it to be as the doctor says, low threat and truely caught at the best time.  I also pray for his family, namely Melissa.  May they not worry about anything, but pray about everything and truely find comfort on your holiness Lord.
- For spouses who are separated by deployment, namely Jen and Greg.  May God use these tough times to strengthen their marriages and their faith in him. 
- Lork please be with the executives and the researches (really smart people) of BP.  Lord show them how to fix this massive problem.  Lord I pray that they may stop relying on their own knowledge and turn their eyes on you, and your knowledge. 
- The faith of my family.  I have not yet been able to share my faith, or really discuss faith with my mom or brothers.  Lord I pray that you would give me the right words when the time is right, in your time to share your good news.
- For our news outlets, namely CNN, which is driven by our society, that they may see the sin in their ways and repent.

Ok so this is where I rant. (So maybe it's more pray rant pray...) I was a bit shocked and upset when I was scrolling the CNN.com news page today to see at the very bottom of the page, where there are headings for all sorts of categories...sports, entertainment, to see the category "Gay in America."  I thought well surely there was a religion/faith category and I just missed it...nope.  No such luck.  So what am I ranting about...I really don't know.  I don't know to whether to be upset about the fact that there is such a category, that there is a lack of religion category (which to me means faith isn't as big a part of our world as we'd like to think), or both!  I quickly realized that anger wasn't the answer, and started to pray.  Only to then come home and read my devotional titled ASAP-Always Say A Prayer.  2 Kings 19:19 "O Lord our God, I pray, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord God, You alone."  So instead of ranting about either, I pray. 

Lord I pray that you will re-instill you love and your faith back into our world.  Show us what it is that we can do to rid the world of sin and replace it with your love.  So that instead of sinful and negative headlines our news will consist of sharing your love with our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Amen! 

paper still not done....

but what the hay....today was my first day at a new church (again...), but clearly God had the message already prepared just for me.  The message focused on idols other than God, mainly our earthly bodies, our obsession to transform it into something its not and our fantasy that we can life forever.  While it is important to take care of the gift of a body that God has given us, there is also an unhealthy and idolatry issue with this.  Ah this  was speaking right to me! I've been struggeling with weight gain, and lack of motivation to run, which used to come naturally to me.  I've defined my adult life as being a workout queen and a runner.  However that isn't the case lately, so I joined a gym, I hired a personal trainer, I write down what I eat (hate that!).  Part of me wondered if I was just in a different phase of my life where running wouldn't be my identity and it was time for a new one.  Well clearly that was the message today.  Not that I'm going to quit running, or get a refund on my personal trainer, but I'm not going to let that run my life and become an obsession.  I have to run to praise God for the body he has given me, not run to prove something to myself or others. 

The second part of the message was tougher for me.  I've been struggling with working in a job where I'm bombarded with death every day, with Doug overseas.  But the message was a reminder that we are not earthly beings with heavenly experiences, we are heavenly beings and this is our earthly experience.  This, what we do every day, the goals we set before us and strive to achieve, are only temporary.  Our permanent place is our home in heaven with God. 

So today I pray for God to show me all the things that I have been falsely idolizing and to take them off their thrown, and to replace the rightful owner of that thrown, Jesus Christ.  I pray for others who are struggling with earthly goals and idols who may not realize it.  I pray that God will open their eyes, so that they may return their focus on him.  Lord please be with those who are separated from their spouses, that their spouses may return home to them safe and sound.  Please bless all the fathers, father figures and those that yearn for a father.  May they all recognize you as their one true father.  In  your son's name I pray, Amen!

Happy Father's Day friends!   

The jist.... (and first blog)

So...this is my first attempt at this whole blogging thing, and I shouldn't even be doing it b/c I totally have a 15 pg paper waiting to be written.  But I feel compelled none the less.  I'm hoping this will become a space where instead of follow up on who is doing what or saying what (ahem-facebook), we/I can follow where friends need prayer and we can share faith experiences.  The way I was thinking (the way God was thinking through me), is that I want to focus on the faith in life not the fake.  So I'm attempting to move from gossip to God :)  I'll try and post every few days, please feel free to comment, no guilt trips her though.  If this isn't your bag it won't hurt my feelings.  

So my very first blog....well I certainly see God working in a lot of ways lately, from Suz calling last night when I was feeling lonely to a friend saying she believes only started believing in God because I forgave her.  So I know he is here and I know he has a purpose for me working in this awful job here in Md while Doug is deployed.  But this has also been a time of great prayer and lows too.  Every day I'm bombarded with fear and loneliness, that I have to continually pray away.  And to make matters worse, now that we are at the tail end of Doug's deployment our emotions and tempers have naturally begun to flare.  3 days in a row, we've gotten into tiffs during our phone calls.  This is not normal at all for us, but I realize it is normal for the deployments.

Today I pray for God to calm my fears, and to guide Doug and I through these emotional last days of his deployment.  I pray for him to show me my purpose, not only here in this job, but in life (what am I supposed to be when I grow up!), in his time.  Lord, please wrap your loving arms around the families of those whose loved ones will not be coming home.  Send your angels of peace to the nations that are currently at war.  Thwart the plans of those that intend harm, and fill their hearts with your love.  May all those who need prayer cry out to you, in your son Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

~*~Happy Saturday to you friends~*~