Top 10 List A Mother Wants In Daughter's Future Husband

As written to daughter:

1. Must love Jesus 1st with all his heart and soul thus sharing your faith with you.

2. Must be willing to pray together.

3. Be your best friend.

4. Must have a job and be confident in who He is in Jesus and in this world.

5. Must love and respect you making you feel like you are #1 in his worldly life.

6. Must be a good listener (this goes for you as well).

7. Be flexible…Be a good follower of Jesus letting him lead you in setting your goals and priorities. What is really important in the direction you want to go.

8. Understanding, honesty, kind, caring, having common values, strength in character.

9. Be good with children of all ages.

10. Love your mother!

11. Support your mother if necessary. LOL!

Love you,
Mom

Types of People God hired onto His Staff Team Over Centuries

1. Noah was a drunk - Genesis 9:21
2. Jacob was a liar - Genesis 27
3. Leah was ugly - Genesis 29:16-18
4. Joseph was abused - Genesis 37:22-28
5. Moses had a stuttering problem - Exodus 4:10
6. Gideon was afraid - Judges 6:15
7. Samson had long hair and was a womanizer - Judges 16:5-17
8. Rahab was a harlot - Joshua 2:1
9. Jeremiah and Timothy were too young - Jeremiah 1:6
10. David had an affair and was a murderer - 2 Samuel 11:2-4 and Chp 14-17
11. Elijah was suicidal - 1 Kings 19:4
12. Isaiah preached naked - Isaiah 20:2
13. Jonah ran from God - Jonah 1:3
14. Naomi was a widow - Ruth 1:3
15. Job went bankrupt - Job 1:21
16. Peter denied Christ - Mark 14:71
17. The disciples fell asleep while praying - Matt 26:40
18. Marth worried about everything - Luke 10:40-42
19. The Samaritan woman was divorced more than once - John 4:17-18
20. Zaccheus was too small - Luke 19:2-3
21. Paul was too religious - Acts 22:1-5
22. Timothy had an ulcer - 1 Timothy 22:1-5
23. Lazarus was dead - John 11

These are not exactly cream puff seminary grads. How could God use them? How can God use you?

It's through "Jesus Christ IN you."

(From Pg 61 "Transforming Church in Rural America: Breaking All the Rurals" By Shannon O'Dell)

_______________

You are not what you do. It is who you are and what Christ did FOR you.

It is not His acceptance of YOUR work, but your acceptance of His work on the Cross for you.

My power is made perfect in your weakness. 2 Cor 2:19

God can use you, where you are right now. Now YOU just have to believe.

This We Believe! (Do you really?)

Check out the following christian beliefs and consider if you live your life in such a way that reflects that you REALLY believe them...

1. God created the world - Genesis 1:1
2. God scripted the Holy Word of God -  2 Timothy 3:16
3. Jesus Christ was born of a Virgin - Matthew 1:23
4. Jesus is the sinless Son of God - Hebrews 4:15
5. Salvation is real and found only through Jesus Christ - Acts 4:12
6. Jesus rose from the dead - Acts 10:41

As stated by Shannon O'Dell inTransforming Churches in Rural America...

"These are monster beliefs!"

No wonder the non-believing world thinks that the Church is absolutely crazy.

Are the Following True of You?

Transforming Church in Rural America: Breaking All The Rurals

Consider the following:

• You passionately love Jesus but you don't really want to be like Him.

• You admire His humility, but you don't want to be THAT humble.

• You think it's beautiful that He washed the feet of the disciples, but that's not exactly the direction your life is headed.

• You're thankful He was spit upon and abused, but you would never let that happen to you.

• You praise Him for loving you enough to suffer during His whole time on earth, but you're going to do everything within your power to make sure you enjoy your time down here.

I'm reading a book called Transforming Church in Rural America: Breaking All the Rurals by Shannon O'Dell.

www.brandnewchurch.com

This blog post outlines blurbs from his book.

If you want your faith transformed, check this book out.

The insight and thought-provoking, blunt straight talk in this book will cut to your core.

What They Don't Tell Pastors About Rural Ministry:

As written by Shannon O'Dell in "Transforming Church in Rural America".

1. It's the most difficult job on earth.

2. Friends will become enemies.

3. The people who leave the church are going to glare at you in the check-out lane at Wal-Mart for the rest of your life.

4. You're going to be thrown in a pit.

5. A red-hot marriage is a MUST for being an effective rural pastor.

6. Scritpures never give us qualifications for the office, but it gives us tons of Scripture for the home.

You Are In Your Own Way

What you say is your success or failure.

You don't have to be eloquent or have correct english, but you DO need to agree with God.

If you speak negatively about yourself or your life, you are disagreeing with the word of God and you are limiting his ability to work in your life.

God has to have permission to work in your life.

You give the devil permission all the time.... You invite him in through your negativity or self-criticism or doubt...

Adoption is a Time of Celebration & Grief

Adoption is a time of celebration by the adoptive family, but for the kids who are legally separated from their birth family, it is a time of grief, loss and confusion.

For many across all types of families, but especially at the child level, it is confusing to understand who to be loyal to and how to deal with new people in new roles in their lives.

A child feels the need to put people into the proper box, the parent box, the teacher box, the church box, the adults who are family friends box, the strangers box, the extended family box.... And historically, traditionally and societally, these boxes at times have an implied limited number of places.  We all do it, it's how our brains work. It wants to compartment things neatly...

In today's world, the lines of what a defines a family have blurred...

Adoption is Special

In birth families, God chooses the kids, in adoptive families, the parents choose the kids.

So where an adoptive child perceives they may have been cheated, they actually got the better deal because they were chosen specifically.

No matter what, I believe God is involved with every type of family connection. He is our Father and we are adopted into His family and treated as His own kids.

God, Like Parents, Has To Repeat Himself

No wonder parents get frustrated when they have to repeat themselves. God has to do it all the time.

(He says Fear Not over 300x in the bible, yet we do; He has tons of parables on money, yet we struggle with that.)

It's disheartening to realize a month or so late that God has been speaking to you and you acknowledged the ideas as your own and then blew them off...

Who is Watching?

Most have heard of GPS technology. It's in phones, cars, handheld devices, delivery vehicles, etc.

People volunteer their GPS location via many forms of social media. It's even in many law enforcement cars for real-time use during operations.

The question is - who is watching?

Who Gets the Credit?

I question if I have pursued opportunities for the right reasons at times...

I pursued a Master's degree without consulting God.

So now I find it's like pulling teeth to get my thesis completed and defended.

Right before going away to the school, I heard a voice inside say - you can still back out, you know you're not doing this for the right reasons - but my pride wouldn't let me.

I've asked God if He doesn't have to finish it, because He didn't author it...anything that God is not a part of, is MUCH harder to complete.

Be encouraged...

I worked 12 hours. I have a headache. And PMS. (I know, too much information - but it's reality).

In spite of my circumstances, I KNOW my heavenly Father wants to wrap his warm arms around me tonight and comfort me. His presence is here. He has guards on my house. I am blessed by His love and how He cherishes me.

He wants to do that for you.

He wants you to know Him that intimately.

For the good and in the bad... He's walking it out w/ you.

Be blessed - no matter your circumstance. Don't fall for the enemy's lies and condemnation.

Jesus loves you right where you're at. Let Him love you from the inside out tonight...

He so wants to!!!

Be blessed!

What If It Were More Like This...

Here's a POWERFUL message... Through simple graphics.

If the video doesn't work... Then on go to You Tube search for "Making Disciples".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJWkQ9UP_m8&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Don't miss out. This is powerful!
Be blessed!

Wanted Dead or Alive!

You're WANTED preferably alive in Christ, because without Him, you are the walking dead and when you die, you will be separated from God forever.
You are a Spirit. As is God. This deteriorating skin bag that your spirit resides in is going to pass away but you will live on for eternity.

The question is, will that be an eternity with or without God.

There is no such thing as GOOD without God.

Think about that. God is light, without Him is darkness. That's not just a metaphor used to explain life in Christ, but it's the reality of your eternity if you do not choose God.

It's not that it's punishment per se but it's consequences.

Every choice is a choice there is no neutral.

If You Don't Have One, Get a Mentor

Whether it is a spiritual mentor for spiritual accountability.
Or a professional one for professional growth.

Seek one out. Find a person as described below and just ask them. If they say no, then that was NOT someone you want giving you feedback, don't be offended. Keep looking and seek them out. You would be surprised how complimented they will be that you want to benefit from their experience.

Choose someone who is older, wiser, has "been where you are", who will listen, but also speak Truth to you.

Godz Got Your Back!

Sometimes God will give you a few words for someone else.

The next day you may ask Him a blunt question and His answer is those exact same words reflected back to you.

Don't be surprised.

On more than one occasion when God has me share something with a friend, some type of counsel, encouragement, or perspective...

He makes me think about everything I just said and He asks, "Are YOU doing that?"

God is my Counselor & He lets me get away with nothing (excuses, lying to myself, advising others & not being as vigilant myself, etc).

I am never alone. He is always faithful.

Be blessed today. For God is paving the way & preparing hearts in front of you and He's always got your back!

Single: Problem? Or Process? Marriage: Solution? Or Next Level?

Being single is sort of like crossing the plains in the 1800's. They stretch expansively before you, waving grasses waist high, an endless expanse that you think you might never get to the end of...

Possibly what one might have viewed if traveling
by wagon train in the 1800's across the prairie.

But typically when crossing the plains, one didn't go alone, it was usually with a wagon train for there was strength and safety in numbers. Supplies could be shared, guard duty was shared, in fact most duties were shared. Plus there was companionship of all ages.

Wagon trains would seem like their own little "town" at times that were "never going to reach the end of the trail...that goal...after day after day of drudgery down the trail...". Then they would get to a town, resupply their stock of needs, do a little shopping, maybe get cleaned up properly or even get a real "bath", but it would rejuvenate them to press on - though some would give in and settle and say, this is far enough... we're stopping here and not going on.

Single life is not meant to be alone.
It is meant for you to bring your gifts and skills to a larger population of people.

God Meets You Where You Are And Loves You More Than You Can Comprehend (Catapult Finale)

What would Jesus do... For that matter, if you are a parent, what would YOU do?

If you watch a parent, who enables his child by always picking him up when he falls, by always fixing things and making life easy for him... thus the child doesn't develop any problem solving skills or have to deal with any struggles that develop character, drive or motivation to do something in life.

Now the child is 28, a drug addict and the father has used up his retirement, lost businesses, family, family thinks he's crazy, because he is always trying to save his child. He is always pulling him out of bad situations and as you or I might say - enabling him.

One day the father can't find his son for 2 days and gets down on one knee and says:

God, take my life, not that of my 28 year old boy who has his whole life ahead of him.

Divorce & Perspective (Yeah This Could Help If You're Married And Struggling)

Why does God hate divorce? Have you thought about WHY?

It's not just about rules, but relationship.

He doesn't just want to bring the hammer down on you, His deep concern is because it hurts:

1. You
2. Your Spouse
3. ALL of your friends
4. ALL of your family members on both sides
5. ANY kids involved (yours together, yours alone, his kids, cousins, nephews, nieces, etc)
6. the entire community (anyone who knows or cares about you)

Because you become one more statistic to cause society to NOT believe in marriage (which God created).
God hates divorce because it gives the enemy a foothold through bitterness and resentment.

The enemy is out to "steal, kill and destroy" our relationships with each other and our relationship with God.

It causes pain, it wounds deeply, which can limit God's work through you...and God doesn't want you to hurt.

He has a guidebook for life and if we read it AND use it, he tells us how best to navigate this life. He doesn't promise no struggles...but it certainly helps!!! 

50+ Future Godly Wife Goals

1. Learn when to be silent (???)
2. Learn when to wait
3. Learn to be patient
4. Learn when to be bold
5. Learn when to offer an opinion and how... and when not to
5.25 HAVE an opinion, don't frustrate him by saying, "I don't care" and then saying you don't like any of HIS suggestions.