Encouragement for Today – Encouragement for Today – Feb. 1, 2012 – Christian Devotional.

I finished the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan last night.  I really enjoyed reading it and it made me ponder a lot of things about how I am reading the Word and putting it into action in my life, but when it got to chapter nine on “people who sought to live their lives fully surrendered to God”  I had to take into consideration that none of them were married or had kids, as far as I could tell anyway (am I wrong?).  I admire these people…let me make that very clear.  These comments are not in any way intended to diminish the amazing and selfless things they did for God and humans.

Here is my delima…while I am trying my hardest to become a mature Christian and stop getting off track just because life gets hard I feel like I am in need of ministry still.  We are looking for a church to go to in our new city and one of the biggest things to consider for us is if the children’s ministry has a program for disabled children and I would desperately like to find a church with a good women’s Bible study.  I do, in my quest to be a more mature Christian, want to find ways to give to others of my time and money except I do not have much of either.  I don’t have time to volunteer at the homeless or women’s shelter with all my running around to doctors, therapists and school.  I feel I am just trying to survive myself.  My husband and I are working hard to stop surviving and start living, but that  just gives us enough light and inspiration that our daughter can have more of a normal mom and dad type instead of ones who feel weighted down by the whole world.  I do depend on the Holy Spirit to guide me and as my other posts have said I depend on Jesus to get through every day, it’s the only way I survive.

I was excited about readying Crazy Love and having more confirmation of God’s love for little ‘ole me, but I wasn’t ready to hear that I should be giving away all I have when we as a family are just trying to get through the day and give our child the most love and help we can.  Does not God call us all to different walks of life?  And give us different gifts from the Holy Spirit?  Are we not all living completely different and complex lives?  I do not understand what it is like  to have a normal developing child nor what it feels like to be abandoned by my husband but those who do have those experiences do not understand my life either.  I am not trying to feel sorry for myself or ask anyone else to.  I am living in reality and ask all to respect that.  I just feel like my biggest responsibility is to my husband and my child, after all God did say to be fruitful and multiply!  On another note, in response to a section in the Q&A of Crazy Love, I DO believe chemical imbalances in the brain can effect a person’s life dramatically.  I DO NOT think that is blaming someone else for ourselves not living the way God wants us to, it is a sickness.

So is the way I am living un-Jesus like?  Am I displeasing Him?  Am I missing something?  Maybe I should read the book again…

If there is anyone out there reading this please challenge or encourage me!

I have finished Hebrews and have decided to read Ephesians next. Below is my prayer adapted from the Amplified version of Ephesians 1:17-19.

Grant me a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of You. Flood the eyes of my heart with Your light so that I can know and understand the hope to which You have called me and how rich Your glorious inheritance is for me. I want to know and understand the immeasurable, unlimited and surpassing greatness of Your power for me because I believe!

I hope to remember all day God’s great power and that He can help me through whatever I face. He is there to be our source of help and peace! I have been feeling sad about Tori not walking yet, I do not want to get discouraged though. I have to remember God has a plan and His ways are perfect! I pray we can all keep our eyes on Jesus today instead of our emotions and that we will find true joy and peace in Him!

My company is gone so I am back to blogging, and studying the Word.

My daughter has this book called 100 Ways To Know God Loves Me that we read before bed. Last night’s reading covered some big issues for our family at this time in life…

Hope (related to the story of Jeremiah): Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. (Psalm 62:5 NIV84)

Joy: yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. (Habakkuk 3:18 NIV84)

Peace (relating to the difference between temporary happiness and true joy from God): Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27 NIV84)

Rest: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28 NIV84)

The big four were right there together last night…i found inspiration from a children’s book. Sometimes it’s so simple but yet we think these things are complicated to attain just like our lives are complicated and spinning rapidly. My prayer today is that I can take a deep breath and get my hope, joy, peace and rest from God alone and not try to depend on myself. I can only have these things by total dependence on Jesus Christ. Lord, help me remember to look to you throughout the day!

is what I need today!

Clothe yourselves therefore, as God’s own chosen ones (His own picked representatives), [who are] purified and holy and well-beloved [by God Himself, by putting on behavior marked by] tenderhearted pity and mercy, kind feeling, a lowly opinion of yourselves, gentle ways, [and] patience [which is tireless and long-suffering, and has the power to endure whatever comes, with good temper]. (Colossians 3:12 AMP)

Lord, please help me to be kind and patient today…I need your power to endure whatever struggles and frustration come today!

to be Inspirational tomorrow. Received new medical EQUIPment today and had to wash theratogs…after watching a show that made fun of stay at home moms. Lord EQUIP me, give me patience!!!

My daily reading this morning was Hebrews 11…but now I am thinking about healing for my daughter. Below are the scriptures I’ve just read to encourage me. I know that my salvation includes healing, for me and my family!

Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for You are my praise. (Jeremiah 17:14 AMP)

And the prayer [that is] of faith will save him who is sick, and the Lord will restore him; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. (James 5:15 AMP)

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole. (Isaiah 53:5 AMP)

BLESS (AFFECTIONATELY, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul; and all that is [deepest] within me, bless His holy name! Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul, and forget not [one of] all His benefits– Who forgives [every one of] all your iniquities, Who heals [each one of] all your diseases, (Psalm 103:1-3 AMP)

He personally bore our sins in His [own] body on the tree [as on an altar and offered Himself on it], that we might die (cease to exist) to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed. (1 Peter 2:24 AMP)

I remember watching a message by Joyce Meyer a couple of months ago on healing and her saying “even if we can’t see what’s happening, God is working!” (she may have said it slightly different). This gave me rest, knowing that even though I cannot see with my human eye what is going on inside Tori’s body, God is in control, he is our healing and he will do what he promised. God gave us many promises, we just have to have faith! I know that is sometimes easier said than done but if we can learn to keep our eyes continually on Jesus we will find hope in Him and those promises. Today I am praying for all you parents out there with children who have special needs. I am praying that we can all trust and hope in God for healing, and SEE even the small miracles that God chooses to do.